The Hindu : Kerala News : `Bid to subvert mass contact programme'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 05, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

`Bid to subvert mass contact programme'

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA, DEC. 4. The Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, has said that the rich and the powerful are trying to subvert his mass contact programme.

The programme has succeeded in providing relief to the common man in the State, he said.

Mr. Chandy was speaking at the inauguration of the construction works of Thottappally fishing harbour this morning. He said that certain sections were trying to create controversies and plant negative reports in the media about the mass contact programme. The programme has enabled the authorities to gain first-hand knowledge of the problems faced by the common man, he said.

Mr. Chandy said his ministry had been able to solve several problems faced by the public based on the information gained from the mass contact programme.

"There have been allegations that I was helping my relatives and partymen through the mass contact programme," said Mr. Chandy.

"In fact, the poor and downtrodden in the State are my relatives and the UDF government is helping them," the Chief Minister said.

Immediate relief

The aim of the mass contact programme was to provide immediate relief to the poor, said Mr. Chandy. He said that those trying to create controversies were scuttling the development prospects of the State.

The Chief Minister said the development projects in the State were not being completed on time. This was leading to increase in estimated cost and other losses, he said.

He asked the officials concerned to ensure that all ongoing projects were completed on time.

In his presidential address, the Fisheries Minister, Dominic Presentation, said the State Government would implement development works estimated at Rs. 100 crores in the fisheries sector in the coming year.

Funds

The Union Government has agreed to provide a large part of the funds for the proposed development projects, he said. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has given Rs. 50 crores to the State for the development of fishing harbours, Mr. Presentation said. The Minister said the Union Government has already provided Rs. 20 crores for the development of roads and Rs. 15 crores for the distribution of drinking water in areas where fishermen live. He said the State Government would give aid for the construction of 3,000 houses for fishermen by the end of this month.

The Minister said the Government would give pension for fishermen and widows of fishermen from December 8.

The Ambalappuzha MLA, D. Sugathan, welcomed the gathering. The Alappuzha MP, K. S. Manoj, delivered the keynote address. Leaders of various political parties spoke on the occasion.

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