The Hindu : Union Ministers urged to get more funds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Union Ministers urged to get more funds

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, MARCH 22. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, has urged the Union Ministers hailing from the State to try to get more drought relief for the State.

He was talking to presspersons after inaugurating an international symposium here today.

Mr. Antony said the Government had asked local bodies to set apart the unutilised Plan funds for drought relief. The funds allocated by the Union Government were inadequate and efforts were on to get more funds. The State Government was spending Rs.200 crores and the unutilised Plan funds of local bodies would amount to Rs.60-70 crores.

A question on the reported failure of the State in submitting detailed reports on the utilisation of funds allocated earlier, was countered by the Chief Minister by asking whether the Union Government had stated so.

When it was pointed out that a Union Minister hailing from the State had said so, he said both the Union Ministers belonging to the State should try to secure more Central funds for drought relief to Kerala.

Mr. Antony said he was visiting drought-affected places to listen to the people. He did not expect bouquets from them, he added.

To a question whether his tour was a road show, he said many organisations had invited him to visit the places hit by drought.

The names of remaining contestants for the Lok Sabha elections would be finalised on or after March 24, he said.

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