KSIDC partners with Islamic fund

The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) has partnered with Cheraman Financial Services Limited, a Kochi-based Islamic fund. KSIDC has 11 per cent share in the Rs. 250 crore fund which is a shariah-based entity aimed at funding selected sectors. Cheraman is the new avatar of the Al Baraka fund proposed by KSIDC two years ago. Cheraman has received the go-ahead from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and has been registered as a trust, despite the Reserve Bank of India stating that the Banking Regulation Act did not permit Islamic banking in the country.