The Hindu : Front Page : Chief Minister better placed to handle IT portfolio, says Karim

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Sunday, May 21, 2006

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Front Page

Chief Minister better placed to handle IT portfolio, says Karim

Special Correspondent

Minister says LDF has clear vision on reviving the manufacturing sector

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Industries Minister Elamaram Karim on Saturday said it was best to give the Information Technology (IT) portfolio to the Chief Minister of the State.

Participating in a Meet-the-Press programme, organised by the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club, Mr. Karim said the fast growing IT sector demanded many policy decisions to make the best of the emerging opportunities. "It is all the more advantageous if the head of the Government himself were to handle the portfolio," he said.

He was responding to a question on whether he was disappointed by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan's decision to retain the portfolio under him. Mr. Karim was initially tipped to receive IT along with the Industries portfolio.

He said he was yet to study the problems afflicting the manufacturing sector in the State. The sector contributed just 8 per cent to the State Domestic Product in 2002-03. The old industrial units were all in a doldrums in the State and new ones had not come up. Reviving the manufacturing sector, which alone could provide jobs to the semi-skilled and unskilled workers, was a challenging task, but the LDF Government had a clear vision on how to go about the task, he said.

Mr. Karim said the traditional industries, which sustained several lakhs of families, could not hold on without the support of the Government. The UDF Government had neglected this fact during the last five years, he alleged.

One of the priorities for him as the Industries Minister would be to revive the beedi industry and the handloom industry. The Government would draw up a revival programme for the Dinesh Beedi Cooperative Society in Kannur district.

The Government would seek aid from the National Cooperatives Development Corporation to revitalise the handloom sector.

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