The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Biotechnology centre to be handed over to Union Government

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 08, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Biotechnology centre to be handed over to Union Government

Special Correspondent

Representation for State on governing body to be sought

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to transfer the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram, to the Central Government.

Briefing mediapersons on the Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said the Union Government would be requested to provide adequate representation to Kerala on the governing body of the centre as the State had spent Rs.50 crore for its development so far. Urgent steps would be taken to remedy the pollution problems that had arisen on account of the release of muddied water from the Kallarkutty Project. (Drinking water projects along the Periyar had been affected by the release of the water carrying silt).

The Chief Minister announced that Rs.5 crore each would be given to the districts for taking advance measures to tackle impending drought.

The State Civil Supplies Corporation, State Cooperative Consumer Federation and the State Horticulture Development Corporation would strongly intervene in the market to keep the prices of essential commodities and vegetables under check.

The Centre would be urged to take steps to prevent hoarding and restore quotas of kerosene, gas and grains to the State.Mr. Achuthanandan said that the wife of the deceased member of the Assembly Mathai Chacko would be given a job in the State Cooperative Bank and his son an assistance of Rs.5 lakh for his studies.

Tribal people would be given timber at 25 per cent of the cost for building houses.

He said that the Government had decided to seek the explanation of Principal Secretary Bharat Bhushan about his remarks against Minister for Cooperation and Devaswoms G. Sudhakaran.

The report of the Chief Secretary on the signing of the agreement on ADB loan was under discussion.

Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that there was nothing wrong about the wife of Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan visiting a temple. The wives of the late E.K. Nayanar and E.M.S. Namboodiripad used to visit temples. He did not know the details of the controversy over the puja conducted at the Kadampuzha temple.

He would enquire about that. He was also not aware of any Crime Branch inquiry being ordered into the alleged conspiracy behind the reports that Mr. Balakrishnan conducted a `sasthrusamhara pooja' at the temple.

Mr. Achuthanandan said that Governor R.L. Bhatia had returned the recommendation for appointment of Vice-Chancellor for the Kerala Agricultural University seeking some clarifications.

Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran had been asked to provide the same.

Move welcomed

The KPCC has welcomed the decision to handover the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology to the Centre. KPCC spokesman M.M. Hassan said the Government was forced to take a decision on the basis of the all round protest in the delay in handing over the institution to the Centre.

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