Focus on agriculture to attain self-sufficiency

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala should focus more on agriculture to attain self-sufficiency in food, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. He was speaking after inaugurating the valedictory meeting of the World Food Day observance here on Sunday.   The Chief Minister also congratulated the State Civil Supplies Department for performing exceptionally well during the 100-day programme of the government. The Civil Supplies Department issued seven lakh ration cards during the period against the target of three lakh. The department is a model for other departments, he said.   K Muraleedharan MLA delivered the keynote address. Civil Supplies Commissioner K R Muraleedharan, Civil Supplies director M S Jaya and Corporation councillor Leelamma Isaac spoke.  Earlier, Transport and Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar inaugurated a seminar on ‘Food Prices - from crisis to stability’. The State Government has implemented several food safety schemes within a short span of time, Sivakumar said. These schemes cost the government ` 650 crore a year. The government has also submitted a proposal to the Centre to distribute 13 essential goods through the PDS shops, he said.Subsidy schemes will not help long-term development and more focus should be given on developing the agricultural sector, he said.Kerala Veterinary University Vice-Chancellor B Ashok presented a thesis. The country has achieved self-sufficiency to a large extend in food production through five-year plans, he said. Safekeeping of food grains, distribution and sustainability of various food schemes are the key issues faced by the food sector. Though food subsidy schemes are good for the public, they should be implemented with safeguards and by taking the framers into confidence, he said.    Palode Ravi MLA presided over the function.