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implemented by various governmental agencies and Banks in the State. This Mission will extend EMPLOYMENT
end to end vital support services including Skill Development, Business Planning, Financial linkages,
Market linkages, Technology and Infrastructure support, Mentoring and hand-holding, and Regulatory
Compliances to potential entrepreneurs. It is also envisaged to set up business incubators in all
districts and technology incubators in all sectors.

Additional Skill Acquisition Programme

9.65 This innovative programme was launched, during the year 2012-13, aimed at enhancing the
employability of students passing out of Higher Secondary Schools (+2) as well as Arts and Science
Colleges in the state. The idea is that the students will be given skill training, in addition to their regular
academic programme/ curriculum, in the crucial sectors as being demanded by the Industry. These
skill training will be conducted before and after school/college timings as well as during holidays/
vacations. Thus when they complete their regular academic programmes they will also get additional
skill certifications. This will ensure them job opportunities immediately on completion of each stage
of their academic programme, say on completing +2 or on completion of undergraduate programmes
like B.A, B.Sc etc. Now the state government is all set to secure a loan of $100 million from the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) to widen the coverage of the scheme.

Kerala State Entrepreneur Self Development Mission

9.66 Kerala State Entrepreneur Self Development Mission (KSSEDM) is an ambitious scheme of
the Government of Kerala aims at inculcating entrepreneurial confidence among youth of the State
by providing interest free loan up to ` 20 lakh for setting up micro enterprises. The Mission aims
to launch 2000 ventures every year and provide employment to 20,000 persons annually, thus
generating employment potential of one lakh youths in five years.

9.67 The enterprises set up under the Mission are eligible for financial assistance depending on the
requirement and on the number of members in the group, at the rate of ` 10 lakh per technocrat
entrepreneur and ` 4 lakh per non-technocrat promoter. The minimum promoters’ contribution is 10
per cent and the financial assistance is to be repaid in five year, with the initial moratorium of one
year. Government will bear the entire interest burden. Kerala Financial Corporation is the nodal
agency of the Programme.

Consortium of Retired Experts for Development (CRED)

9.68 About 20,000 employees retire from government service alone every year at the age of 56 years.
Further Kerala is the State which has the highest life expectancy. This means that the expertise of
retired persons from government/public sector as well as from private sector is wasted and their
services are not utilised after their retirement. For the effective use of expertise of retired officials, the
Government has decided to set up a Company viz; ‘Consortium of Retired Experts for Development’
(CRED).

9.69 This Project has been drawn up based on an idea put forth by Shri.Sam Pitroda, the development
mentor of Kerala. The proposed company is expected to provide a platform to mobilize and supply
the expertise of the retired employees (anyone who is above the age of 56 years) for building
capacity and delivering value added services to all development sectors and will provide the retired
employees productive employment. The Company would function in a public private participation
mode by mobilising its capitals from Government (26 per cent) and retired employees (74 per cent)
and have eight-member Director Board with Planning Minister as Chairman and Planning Secretary
as Vice-Chairman.

Economic Review 2014