The Hindu : Front Page : All-party team for Delhi soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 10, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Front Page

Front Page

All-party team for Delhi soon

Special Correspondent

V.S. Achuthanandan says the delegation will seek full compensation for farmers.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday demanded that the Centre correct its food grains procurement and distribution policies to stem the current price rise.

The Cabinet urged the Centre to take over the procurement and supply of food grains from private hands and strengthen the public distribution system throughout the country. It recalled that the Centre had abandoned the procurement and distribution policies that ensured food security in the past. The market was left open to private players for speculation and hoarding. Even government godowns were let out to them.

The Cabinet said Kerala was for maintaining a strong public distribution system. However, quotas of food grains to the State were cut of late, paving way for price rise.

The Cabinet criticised the Centre for delaying approval of a project for comprehensive development of Kuttanad prepared by M.S. Swaminahan. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, who briefed the media on the Cabinet deliberations, said the project, which proposed protection of dikes in Kuttanand and maintenance of the Thanneermukkom barrage, had been remaining with the Centre for the past six months. The State would convey its protest over this to the Centre.

The Chief Minister said an all-party delegation would go to New Delhi shortly to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Union Ministers to seek full compensation to farmers who lost their crops in the heavy rain in Kerala last month. Crops in 30,000 hectares had been damaged. The damage was total in 20,000 hectares.

Mr. Achuthanandan said the families of four farmers who died in Kuttanad (including those who committed suicide) would be paid Rs.50,000 each. Besides, their loans would be written off. Distribution of assistance to the farmers for crop loss, announced by the State government, would be completed in two days.

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

Front Page