Infighting in the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has compelled the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to defer key appointments that are decisive to the agricultural and industrial development of the State.
At least two significant posts — chairman, Rubber Board, headquartered in Kottayam, and Coir Board, headquartered in Kochi — have been lying vacant for the past 10 months. At present, A. Jayathilak, chairman, Spices Board India, under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is holding additional charge of chairman of the Rubber Board, while Surendra Nath Tripathi, joint secretary, Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, in New Delhi is in charge of chairman of Coir Board.
The postponement tactics adopted by the Centre could be aimed at bringing down the fiscal deficit but it is taking a toll on the rubber and coir industries. The prices of rubber have plummeted and the production of rubber dipped in the State. The coir sector is also in the doldrums without clear policies, planning, and programmes.
Usually the chairmanship of these Centrally controlled boards is entrusted to senior IAS officers, but the governments at the Centre may appoint politicians. The previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance had appointed political nominees three times for the Coir Board. However, it had kept the post of chairman of the Rubber Board to bureaucrats.
Many BJP leaders in the State had set their eyes on several Central posts soon after the BJP- led NDA assumed power at the Centre in May last year. They have given preferences in the appointments to some of the posts to sort out the factional feud in the State unit.
However, it is learnt that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which is very keen on scrutinising both political and bureaucratic appointments at any Ministry, is unfavourable to accommodating group leaders in significant posts. At the same time, the Centre wants to prune down the existing board of members in various departments to enforce financial discipline. The rubber and coir industries need effective leadership when the market is going through a period of uncertainty in the State.
Delay taking a toll on rubber, coir industries
PMO not in favour of appointing group leaders
