Cabinet nod for Kerala State Design Policy

March 13, 2024 07:27 pm | Updated 07:28 pm IST - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Kerala State Design Policy, a strategic initiative expected to fast-track the State’s journey towards a design-based economy by ensuring sustainable growth and resilience of multiple domains, including tourism and public works.

The policy will serve as a set of guidelines for the government to enact rules, plan and implement programmes and projects, and set in motion processes to scale up design capabilities. It will also have a decisive say in drawing up sustainable and resilient strategies in key sectors, including healthcare, education, creation and maintenance of public assets, and addressing impending challenges such as climate change.

The policy will also help lay down the best practices to be followed in designing physical assets such as roads, bridges, streets, signages, tourism infrastructure and public spaces. Improving the quality of life and creating public services and their prompt delivery are key aims of the policy.

Terming it as an initiative that promotes innovation and competitiveness, Minister for Tourism and Public Works, P.A. Mohamed Riyas said the policy would usher in a design-integrated ecosystem.

“The policy aligns well with the government’s lead to develop the State as a knowledge-based economy, aiming at domestic and global market capitalisation by enhancing capabilities in all critical sectors,” the Minister said.

It will also facilitate Kerala to emerge as a global design hub by developing an ecosystem that promotes design-driven economy, besides generating more job opportunities and opening up more livelihood arenas for the youth.

The policy preparation involved a three-stage process starting with identifying and deliberating the critical issues by involving stakeholders across the design fraternity. In January 2023, a two-day workshop was held with the participation of the stakeholders in the design sector.

Decision-makers and implementation authorities, including policymakers and officials from various departments and public sector undertakings, were part of this vision team.

The ideas and suggestions that emerged from the deliberations were assimilated and consolidated for formulating the design policy.

The workshop was held in nine sessions headed by respective leads, covering various domains. The outputs from each of these sessions were consolidated and a six-member expert committee vetted and drafted the policy guidelines and strategies for the departments of PWD and Tourism.