Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

CDS research input to aid policy making: Minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The National Centre of Excellence in Plantation Economy, being set up at the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) here, will provide research input to help the Union government adopt the most appropriate policies with respect to the plantation sector in the country, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh has said.

Addressing presspersons on a visit to the CDS on Friday, Mr. Ramesh said Rs.5 crore had been allocated for the project in the Union Budget for 2008-09. The CDS would have full freedom to utilise the one-time grant as it deemed fit. “This is an institution building initiative. It is also a tribute to Dr. K.N. Raj (founder of the CDS),” he said. The new centre would initiate economic research in all plantation crops such as tea, coffee, rubber, spices, cas hew and coconut. Plantation industry had a footprint over a major part of the country. It was critical not only to Kerala, but also to Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

He said import-export policies relating to plantation crops might not have been entirely based on ‘knowledge’ in the past. Free Trade Agreements with countries producing plantation crops would have their impact on the plantation sector in India. The country should understand the threats in advance (with the help of dedicated research), he said, explaining the relevance of the new research centre.

Mr. Ramesh said the Union government envisaged an investment of more than Rs.7,000 crore over the next 10 to 15 years in a massive programme for replanting tea, coffee, cardamom and other plantation crops in the country to improve productivity. “We should ensure not just livelihood security, but also income security to the people depending on this sector. More than 6 million people depend on it,” he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Shiv Sena drops plan for hartal from Monday
Price rise hits medicine trade
Secretariat association meet
CDS research input to aid policy making: Minister
Kodiyeri should quit, says Congress
Rules on elephant care get stricter
4,51,470 students to take SSLC exam
Awards for supervisors, child development project officers
Flying squads to help in effective policing
Van gutted; two escape unhurt
Women’s day celebrated
Traffic disruption
Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu