Date:07/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/07/stories/2008100755500700.htm

Kerala

Raise voice against Centre’s neglect of Kerala, says VS

Special Correspondent

Addresses conference of MPs prior to Parliament session

“State is forced to procure rice”
“Kerala yet to get the IIT promised”

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has asked MPs from the State to raise their voice against the neglect of the State by the Centre.

The Chief Minister, addressing a conference of MPs convened by the government here on Monday preparatory to the coming Parliament session, sought their active intervention for a strong fight to check the burning issues of the State and the people.

He said it was the Centre’s duty to meet the requirement or rice of Kerala where the statutory rationing system was in force. The rationing system, which had been in force for the last four decades, was in a crisis because of the Centre’s negative attitude. The ration card holders had been divided into APL (above poverty line) and BPL (below poverty line) sections and the rice to be distributed to the former had been fully discontinued. The State used to get a monthly quota of 1,13,420 tonnes of rice till 2006-07. It had been slashed in stages and fully discontinued since last April. Several memoranda had been given to the Centre by the State government and all-party delegations in this connection. Several representations were made directly to the Prime Minister and the Union Food Minister but to no avail. The availability of rice had gone down and the State government was forced to procure rice from other States and distribute it at a subsidised price.

The Chief Minister criticised the Centre for reducing Kerala’s share of power from the Central pool and for adopting a unilateral stand on restructuring of the Kerala State Electricity Board. Kerala was also yet to get the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) promised by the Prime Minister, he added.