Kerala will urge the Union government to extend the territorial waters from the existing 12 nautical miles to 36 nautical miles and restore the kerosene permits for fishing boats.
A meeting of Members of Parliament from the State, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the Government Guest House at Thycaud here on Tuesday, also called for a national policy for catching small fishes.
The meeting was held in view of Parliament’s winter session next month. The MPs sought the State government’s intervention in the issues.
The Food and Civil Supplies department demanded an increase in the food and pulses quota under the National Food Security Act, sugar for Above the Poverty Line category ration card holders, and restoration of the kerosene quota of the State.
The meet decided to take up with the Union Ministry the neglect of Railways towards Kerala.
Issues
Inclusion of the Thalassery- Mysuru rail line in the budget, six trains in the Thiruvananthapuram- Chengannur corridor during peak hours as part of the Rapid Rail Transit System, and rail connectivity to the Vizhinjam seaport and the Cochin airport on cost-sharing basis will be taken up.
The government will also seek budgetary support for the Guruvayur-Tirunavaya rail line.
The MPs were told about the PWD’s need for making available land for the Hill Highway, financial assistance for bypasses, and sanction for the Kattakada-Ambasamudram road.
At the meeting, the MPs said the State should give priority to small power projects, generating power from wind and floating solar panels. Their help was sought for restoring funds for the drinking water projects under the National Rural Drinking Water Project as 100 projects had been stalled.
