The Hindu : Front Page : Road map for social welfare, development

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Road map for social welfare, development

Special Correspondent

Governor lays out policy perspective of UDF government

Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

Governor R.S. Gavai delivering his address to the Assembly on Friday. —

Thiruvananthapuram: Governor R.S. Gavai on Friday laid out the policy perspectives of the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government headed by Oommen Chandy, laying emphasis on the welfare measures it proposed to implement in tune with the ruling coalition's slogan ‘development and care.'

In his address to the first session of the 13th Kerala Assembly, the Governor took off with a critique of the previous Left Democratic Front government's performance, before listing out various proposals, which included a revamp of the Public Distribution System, distribution of 15 essential commodities through ration shops at 10 per cent below the open market price, precision farming to increase productivity, extension of the noon-meal scheme to students in eighth and ninth classes, a comprehensive health insurance policy for all families below the poverty line, and a Child Rights Commission to protect children's rights. Also on the cards were proposals to bring in comprehensive housing and labour policies.

Policy on PSUs

The Governor, who read out only a few paragraphs of his address before declaring it as deemed read, said the UDF government would not go in for privatisation of public sector undertakings, indicating a major deviation from the policy perspective of previous UDF governments. As for traditional sectors such as handloom and cashew, the emphasis would be on the social, cultural, and humane issues in these areas and not on the economic angle of booking profits.

IT policy

The Governor promised a new Information Technology (IT) policy which would be spearheaded by e-governance programmes that could bring in increased efficiency and competitiveness to transform the State into a leader in the economic field. He said the Information Technology Mission and technology parks would be restructured. The IT Mission had moved away from its mission of promoting IT industry and taking IT to the people. The technology parks, which had strong financials, had over the last five years accumulated major liabilities by way of bank loans taken for land acquisition without much investments coming in. Steps would be taken on a war footing to ensure that the technology parks did not fall into a debt trap by attracting companies to set up new units in acquired lands, he said.

One of the major messages that the government had sought to convey through the address was its resolve to continue some of the development projects initiated by previous governments, with correctional policies, wherever required. “Industrial development is a dynamic matter that requires continuity in order to bear fruit.”

Land for tribes

The government, he said, would expedite the steps for completing the process of distributing land to landless tribal families. Implementation of programmes for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes would be monitored closely to ensure maximum impact. An integrated development programme for enhancing livelihood security of primitive tribes will be implemented. Special courts would be set up in more places for prosecuting offenders under the Prevention of Atrocities Act.

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