The Hindu : Front Page : Rs.12 crore for rain-hit paddy farmers

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Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008
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Rs.12 crore for rain-hit paddy farmers

Special Correspondent

V.S. Achuthanandan says procurement price of paddy has been raised.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State Cabinet on Tuesday allocated Rs.12 crore for providing assistance to farmers hit by loss of paddy in the summer rain in various districts of the State. It also raised the procurement price for paddy from Rs.9 to Rs.10 a kg.

Briefing reporters on the Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said that according to preliminary estimates, the farmers had suffered a loss of Rs.25 crore in the summer rain during the past three days, mainly in Alappuzha, Kottyam and Thrissur districts.

The government, he said, would set up a high-level committee to assess the damage and funds would be sanctioned on the basis of their report. The committee would have the Agriculture Production Commission and Secretaries in charge of Finance, Civil Supplies and Revenue as members. Steps would be taken to repair the dikes damaged during the rain using funds from the Calamity Relief Fund. The Centre would be requested to sanction adequate funds for providing more assistance to farmers.

The Chief Minister said paddy damaged on account of sprouting would also be procured, though at a lower price. The farmers would be compensated in other ways too. The damaged paddy would be used as cattle feed.

Land for IIST

He announced that 40 acres of revenue land at Karippur village in Nedumangad taluk would be acquired under the fast track scheme for the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). The land was close to the Valiamala complex of the Indian Space Research Organisation and none would have to be evicted for acquiring it. The Cabinet, he said, approved the proposed legislation for the welfare of Non-Resident Keralites. The law would cover Malayalis living in other States and abroad. The Cabinet also gave the green signal for NoRKA director board’s decision to recruit people for jobs abroad through NoRKA-ROOTS. The company, which had obtained recruitment licence, would undertake recruitments in contact with Indian embassies abroad. It also planned to organise a four-day youth festival for children of overseas Keralites and a global Malayali meet here from July 15. V.K.C. Mohammed Koya and M.A. Yoosuf Ali will be appointed vice-chairmen of the company.

Kozhikode IT park

The Cabinet accepted a proposal for acquiring 78 acres of land on fast track basis for setting up an Information Technology Park in Kozhikode. Besides, it approved the value to be paid for 70 acres proposed to be acquired for the third phase of Technopark here.

Further, it cleared a memorandum of understanding to be signed between Steel Complex Limited, Kozhikode, and Steel Authority of India for starting a joint venture to revive the complex.

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