The State government has implemented 374 of the 664 schemes in its seven-point Saptadhara programme announced last November, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Sunday.
Presenting a performance review of the programme, Mr. Chandy told presspersons that he was satisfied with the 91.71 per cent achievement rate — the 374 completed schemes and 235 under implementation — but for the pending execution of the high-speed rail corridor project and distribution of land to the landless and the systemic flaws in implementing the Kuttanad project.
He said 17 of the 27 projects announced for a transparent and corruption-free governance had been executed, and nine were being implemented. The Right to Service Bill had been passed, and the report prepared by a whistleblower committee would be implemented in three months. The government had introduced e-tendering in the Public Works Department (PWD) and e-procurement in it, the Power and the Water Resources departments and the public sector units.
He said 12 of the 33 projects announced for waste management had been completed and 15 were being made operational. A decision had been made for floating a company modelled on Cochin International Airport Ltd. for refuse management. A mobile incinerator had been commissioned in the State capital. He said 72 of the 110 schemes announced for addressing unemployment had been completed. Follow-up action had been taken on the Emerging Kerala meet proposals.
The Vizhinjam port and the Kochi Metro projects would be completed without delay. An environment impact assessment for the port project would be completed within 18 months and its retendering would be completed within the specific time. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation was going ahead with allied works for the Kochi Metro and there would not be any lag in completing the project. The Kannur airport would be implemented without delay.
He said a detailed project report of the Kochi-Palakkad industrial corridor had been prepared. Steps had been taken for instituting online single-window clearance for investment proposals. The government was going ahead with the Air Kerala airline project.
On the government’s commitment to developing infrastructure, he said the PWD had taken over 8,570 km of roads from the local bodies. Renovation of 155 coastal roads had been completed at a cost of Rs. 35.6 crore.
Of the 36 projects announced in the health sector, 25 had been implemented. Those included free distribution of generic medicines in government hospitals, opening of 60 new homoeopathy dispensaries and launching of the Kerala Arogya Sree project to provide medical assistance for ailments not covered by Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana. He said 26 of the 35 projects announced in the information technology sector had been completed. Formation of Thunchathu Ezhuthachan Malayalam University and the successful conduct of the Vishwa Malayala Mahotsavam were prime achievements. The procurement price of paddy had been fixed at Rs. 17 a kg. A grant of Rs. 500 a quintal would be given to cooperative societies for copra procurement. All welfare pensions had been revised.
He said the National Human Rights Commission’s recommendations to pay compensation to endosulfan victims of Kasaragod district had been implemented.
Along with such achievements, the government has drawn up a Vision 2030 programme to be implemented in consultation with experts and others.
