Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002
Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002 |
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Kerala
By Our Special Correspondent
The Opposition's positive attitude came as confidence-boosters for the Antony Government, considering the mounting outcry against some of the project proposals that were listed to be taken up at the GIM, slated to be held in Kochi on January 18 and 19. Even while offering all-round cooperation to the Antony Government's initiatives, the Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, listed out several apprehensions the Left Democratic Front (LDF) harboured about some of the proposals. These proposals, when implemented, would amount to a cardinal deviation from time-tested development policies. Speaking to presspersons after the meeting, Mr. Achuthanandan said the Opposition would take a positive attitude towards the Government's initiatives subject to the condition that it addressed the concerns raised at the meeting. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, on his part, acknowledged that the Opposition had indeed drawn the Government's attention to some areas that required careful handling. Mr. Antony told journalists after the meet that the Government had committed itself to convening another all-party meeting after the GIM for an update on its outcome. "The Cabinet would discuss all policy issues threadbare before taking a decision and the necessary steps to protect the State's interests would be taken,'' he said, in the presence of his Cabinet colleagues, the Industries Minister, P. K. Kunhalikutty, and the Revenue Minister, K.M. Mani. The all-party meeting was convened as a confidence-building exercise ahead of the GIM by bringing about a mood of consensus on issues relating to industrial investments. The Government had also extended invitation to the BJP, even though it was not represented in the Assembly or was part of the two-front coalition. The BJP State secretary, P. P. Mukundan, came up with a list of his party's recommendations for Kerala's development. Mr. Achuthanandan said the LDF had whole-heartedly welcomed investments provided they were in the interests of the State. He said that there were concerns relating to the fate of State Government-owned Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), which had contributed their mite to the development of the State. He recalled that the private and public sectors had co-existed in Kerala. The Opposition took exception to the moves to promote industrial investments by ignoring the thousands employed in the PSUs. He emphasised the need to be choosy in allowing industrial investors, and as far as possible give priority to initiatives from NRIs. The Chief Minister was apparently happy at the outcome of the all-party meet. He said that the total support offered by the Opposition was a "historical development" and that it would help the GIM a great deal. He said the days of partisan politics had gone by and an atmosphere for industrial development had emerged. The GIM, to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, would present a new Kerala before global investors. The Government gave a presentation to the participants of the meeting highlighting the salient features of the GIM. The presentation, prepared by Pricewaters and Coopers, international consultants, gave a brief of the various proposals to be posed at the meet. The Opposition also brought up the issues related to the two controversial projects, the Kochi and Malampuzha Industrial Water Supply Schemes.
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