The Hindu : Front Page : Allow UDF to continue the good work: Manmohan

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Thursday, Apr 20, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Allow UDF to continue the good work: Manmohan

Kerala Bureau

CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after addressing the media in Kochi on Wednesday. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is also seen. - Photo: Mahesh Harilal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday asked the people of Kerala to re-elect the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) to power in the State to continue the good work it had been doing during the last five years.

He addressed two election meetings during the day, the first at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district and the second at Thodupuzha in Idukki district. He said only the UDF, with its forward-looking policies, could eradicate poverty, create job opportunities and ensure rapid economic development in the State.

The theme of Dr. Manmohan Singh's speech was the same as the one introduced by Congress president Sonia Gandhi during her electioneering in the State on Tuesday: Another mandate to the UDF to rule the State would guarantee that Kerala would continue on the growth trajectory.

He said the State's Gross Domestic Product had grown by nine per cent last year, faster than the national average. Kerala needed world-class infrastructure to attract investments to turn it into a knowledge-based society. This highly literate State had to become a State of people with high technical skills to exploit the opportunities opening up for its youth.

Dr. Manmohan Singh noted that nearly 80 new engineering colleges had come up in the State during the tenure of the UDF Government.

He said no previous Government at the Centre had supported Kerala's development aspirations to the same extent as the United Progressive Alliance Government now in office.

He made special reference to the Vallarpadam container transhipment project and the expansion programme at the Kayamkulam station of the National Thermal Power Corporation that the UPA Government had sanctioned for the State. Such projects would lay the foundation for the rapid economic development of the State. He also referred to the support the Centre had provided for the Sabarimala development project.

The cities of Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi would get Central assistance for developing urban infrastructure. Projects of the National Horticulture Mission were under implementation in several districts in the State. And Kerala's ailing plantation sector would be a major beneficiary of the Rs. 100-crore fund announced in this year's Union Budget for the revival of the plantation industry.

Listing out the welfare measures taken by the State Government during the last five years, he expressed the confidence that the voters would return the UDF for another term in office.

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