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An insipid and uninspiring speech: LDF

Special Correspondent

LDF, DIC(K) allege cover-up in tsunami fund use LDF, DIC(K) allege cover-up in tsunami fund use

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) has termed the Governor's Address to the Assembly on Friday the most insipid and uninspiring policy address in recent times.

Giving their initial reactions to the Governor's Address, Opposition leaders accused the Government of having left several crucial issues concerning the State untouched and of having given only a partial picture of the situation in various sectors of the economy.

Both the LDF and Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) alleged a cover-up on the part of the Government in the manner in which the funds meant for tsunami relief and rehabilitation had been utilised.

Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan wondered why the Governor was silent about the fiscal situation in his Address and pointed out that the speech delivered in July, 2001 had 10 pages dedicated exclusively to the subject.

The Government had also later come out with a White Paper on the economy and promised to roll back the State's debt of Rs.23,000 crores. By the latest estimate, the State's debt is Rs.51,000 crores, which meant that the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government had borrowed Rs.28,000 crores additionally during the last five years, he said.

Mr. Achuthanandan regretted that the Governor's Address did not offer any insight into the tragic situation in the traditional industrial sector.

As many as 20,000 plantation workers in Peerumade taluk alone were jobless following closure of the plantations and the situation was no different in most other traditional industries. Of the 111 State public sector units, one-third was sick.

The Government owed an explanation to the people whether it had used at least a portion of the money it had borrowed additionally for salvaging anyone of them.

Silent on law and order

The Address was also silent about the law and order situation and the rise in criminality. Although the Government had announced its resolve to clear all welfare pension arrears and pay monthly instalments on time, arrears were still mounting. The proposal to bring floor-level minimum wages would also work to the disadvantage of the working class, he added.

K.P. Rajendran (Communist Party of India) said the speech did not inspire even the treasury benches. The speech was silent about the tribals and their miserable existence and about the law and order situation.

The Government's promise to provide PDS rice at Rs.3 a kg was a hoax as it was being implemented after a drastic cut in the number of Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, he pointed out.

A.A. Aziz (Revolutionary Socialist Party) said welfare pensions were in arrears despite the Government's claims to the contrary. K.C. Joseph (Kerala Congress-J) said the Governor's Address contained little despite it being the final Address of the present Government.

Paddy procurement

He regretted the absence of any mention in the report about the measures being contemplated by the Government to procure paddy during the coming season.

A.C. Shanmughadas (Nationalist Congress Party) said the speech was the most insipid in the history of the Assembly. C.K. Nanu (Janata Dal-Secular) said the speech reflected the total neglect of the traditional industrial sector by the UDF Government. P.C. George (KC-Secular) said the claims about tsunami relief funds use were exaggerated and amounted to falsification of the real situation. The situation in the tsunami-hit villages had not returned to normality as claimed in the speech, he said.

Meeting the media separately, the DIC(K) leaders T.M. Jacob and Johnny Nellore accused the Government of having deliberately misled the House on the utilisation of tsunami relief funds.

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