The Hindu : Front Page : No LDF decision on food security scheme

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Monday, May 05, 2008
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No LDF decision on food security scheme

Special Correspondent

Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

Crucial meet: Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, CPI State secretary Veliyam Bhargavan and State assistant secretary K.E. Ismail at AKG Centre in the capital for an LDF State committee meet on Sunday. –

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) sticking to their respective positions on how to administer the food security scheme mooted by the State Planning Board, the State committee of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) could not arrive at a decision on the issue at its meeting here on Sunday.

The difference at the meeting was basically over two issues—who should head the State Food Security Mission and how it should be funded. The CPI, which controls the Agriculture Department, has been insisting on the Agriculture Minister being the chairperson of the mission.

The party has also put up a strong opposition to what it sees as attempts to have the schemes coming under the mission implemented with funds already allocated to the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Departments.

The CPI(M) has been insisting on the scheme being implemented under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister with funds already allocated to the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Departments.

The proposal came up before the Cabinet almost a fortnight ago without much of a discussion at the level of the LDF State committee and was immediately opposed by the CPI Ministers.

The CPI leadership stuck to their guns at the LDF State committee meeting as well. They also cited the Central directive that the mission should be under the chairmanship of the Agriculture Minister with Ministers of Water Resources, Local Self-Government, Energy and Rural Development and the Secretaries concerned as its members.

With the two sides failing to arrive at a consensus, it was decided to take up the matter again at the next meeting of the LDF State committee to be held on May 20 and 21.

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