MPs concern over delay in implementing rail projects

MPs from the state,cutting across party lines, united to register their strong resentment against the alleged delaying tactics of the Railways in various projects. The MPs also took exception to the palpable indifference by various quarters in expediting the land acquisition process for  rail and National Highways development.

MPs P T Thomas, K P Dhanapalan,Jose K Mani and Anto Antony demanded that the state should go ahead with the proposal for cost sharing on the issue of  land acquisition for the Sabari rail project,to overcome the hurdle in the implementation of more than a decade old project.

The State Government has listed out many issues of grave concern apart from the discrimination of Indian Bankers Association (IBA) on education loans and Kisan credit card loans and sought favourable action such as substantial financial support from the Centre for Endosulfan victims. The government has also sought to either retain the ration essentials’ quota of  the state or a special kerosene quota to ensure full allocation to fishermen. “The issue of Endosulfan victims is being viewed as some sort of  an issue related to Kerala alone. It cannot be approved,” Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the MPs.

Putting pressure on the Centre to evolve a package to ensure the release of many Keralite sailors taken hostage by Somali pirates for two  years, hiking the interest rates of remittances made to the Employees Provident Fund, relaxation in Cabotage laws to facilitate increased take off from the ports, realisation of a new major port at Azheekal in Kannur district, for which the Centre has given in principle approval and a joint effort to stand by the state’s cause on the Mullaperiyar issue were also highlighted by the Chief Minister.

Some MPs complained about the anomalies in the Mid-day Meal project. MPs E T Mohammed Basheer and others from the Malabar region sought a strong intervention of the State and Central Governments for upgrading facilities for dialysis and chemotherapy and thus provide succour to kidney and cancer patients respectively.

All the six Union Ministers from the state could not make it to the meet,as they were pre-occupied.

State Ministers K M Mani, P K Kunhalikutty,P J Joseph, Aryadan Mohammed, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, P K Abdu Rabb, Manjalamkuzhi Ali, V S Sivakumar and senior officials were present.