Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

State unhappy over Central aid

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to convey its protests to the Centre over its failure to provide any assistance to the State for flood relief.

Briefing presspersons on the Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said that funds to the tune of Rs.1,500 crore were needed for rehabilitation of persons affected by the calamities and repair of damaged roads. Many people housed in relief camps could not be sent back without building houses for them.

Mr. Achuthanandan said an all-party delegation from the State had visited Delhi and sought special assistance from the Centre to handle the situation. However, no assistance had been received so far. He noted that about 206 persons had died in monsoon-related calamities. Besides, 202 persons had died as a result of the fever epidemic. The agriculture sector had sustained damage amounting to Rs.300 crore.

He announced that the State Government would raise a special fund for flood relief. The Ministers would contribute one month’s salary to the fund. They would also oversee rehabilitation measures in various districts.

He said that discussions would be continued to solve outstanding issues related to Christian minority institutions and admission and fee structure in self-financing professional colleges.

Following talks held by the Cabinet sub-committee, eight of the 12 medical colleges and 39 of 49 engineering colleges had agreed on 50 per cent merit quota with fees at Government rates and 50 per cent management quota in the colleges. Talks with the remaining managements were continuing. It was during this time that some of the Christian bishops had issued pastoral letters over the issues. The Government would look into their complaints and try to settle them through talks.

He said that the Medical Council would be urged to reduce the minimum marks requirement of 40 per cent for Scheduled Tribes for admission to the medical colleges.

Besides, the Kerala University would be requested to sort out the issues over affiliation of a few colleges through talks. Mr. Achuthanandan also said that the panchayats would be told to see that they did not overstep their powers in respect of schools.A comprehensive scheme, he said, would be drawn up to free the State from plastic waste. September would be devoted to campaigns for plastic-free State. Rs. 1 lakh each would be provided to the next of kin of Binu and Ranjith Kumar who were killed in a naxalite attack in Chhattisgarh.

IAS Officer Rani George would be appointed as Collector of Kollam.

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