Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

VS to lead dharna in Delhi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, the Ministers, MPs from Kerala and the MLAs will stage a dharna in front of the Parliament building on October 17 in protest against the alleged neglect of the State’s needs by the Centre.

Announcing this after a meeting of the Cabinet on Monday, Mr. Achuthanandan said the Centre had cut down the State’s quota of rice for public distribution and the allocation of electricity from the Central pool. The government wanted these restored.

He said the dharna would also be in protest against the unilateral attitude of the Central government on restructuring of the Kerala State Electricity Board, refusal to provide a Rs. 15 subsidy to copra as in the case of imported palmolein and failure to sanction the Indian Institute of Technology promised for Kerala by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Chief Minister said that it was for the United Democratic Front to decide if its legislators should participate in the dharna.

“He is proud to be leading a dharna in Delhi as it is for the people. There is nothing to be ashamed of it,” he told a questioner.

Mr. Achuthanandan announced that the procurement price of paddy would be increased from Rs.10 to Rs.11 a kg. The Finance Department would provide the funds for the procurement.

The Cabinet approved the contract for the Vizhinjam International Container Transhipment Terminal won by a consortium led by Lanco Kondapalli Power Private Ltd., as the project had received security clearance from the Centre. (The letter of intent would be handed over on Tuesday.)

About 900 acres of land needed for the proposed railway coach factory at Puthussery in Palakkad district would be acquired on a fast-track basis. Staff would be posted for this purpose.

Land Revenue Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Neela Gangadharan would be given additional charge of nodal officer for distribution of land to tribal people. October 11, the birthday of Colonel Godavarma Raja, would be observed as Sports Day in the State.

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