The Hindu : Front Page : LDF Government is doing things faster: Chief Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 25, 2006

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LDF Government is doing things faster: Chief Minister

Special Correspondent

Lists achievements on completing 100 days in office

V.S. Achuthanandan is all smiles on completing 100 days in office.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: `Fast forward' was the slogan of the Oommen Chandy Government. And now the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government headed by V.S. Achuthanandan seeks to drive home the point that it is doing things faster.

A review by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan here in connection with his Government completing 100 days in office on Saturday seeks to highlight this point with examples.

The Chief Minister notes that he is distributing assistance to the next of kin of Endosulfan victims who had died of poisoning on Thursday. He visited the Endosulfan-hit areas on August 11 and announced an assistance of Rs.50,000 to each affected family. The Cabinet sanctioned the funds on August 16 and these are being disbursed now.

The Government, he says, has written off the loans of farmers who committed suicide and declared a moratorium on recovery of farm loans. The interest on farm loans has been reduced by 3 per cent. While the previous Government gave assistance to families of only about 100 farmers who had committed suicide, the present Government has given assistance to about 400 more farmers.

The Government is providing a kg of rice, half a kg of sugar and 250 gm of vermicelli to people living below the poverty line as Onam kit. Money has been released for clearing pension arrears to agriculture workers.

Mr. Achuthanandan stresses that the Government has initiated several programmes for the comprehensive development of the State within the 100 days. Environmental clearance has been obtained for the road connectivity project for the Vallarpadam container terminal. Steps are being taken to settle issues over road connectivity and remove obstacles to the Vizhinjam international transhipment project.

The Government, he recalls, has been able to remove obstacles in the development of the Kollam-Kottappuram waterway through discussions with the Inland Waterways Authority of India. Similarly, decisions have been taken on establishment of an aircraft maintenance unit and an Indian Institute of Technology in Thiruvananthapuram.

Many companies, he claims, are coming forward to invest in the information technology sector in the State. An agreement for the Smart City project could be reached in a few weeks. Expansion of the Infopark in Kochi, with a job potential of 25000, will be undertaken along with that. Comprehensive programmes, he says, are being taken up for the traditional industries sector. Schemes have been approved for revival of sick public sector units and building 25 small hydroelectric projects. Projects costing Rs.1,000 crores are being taken up in the tourism sector.

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