Southern States - Kerala   

Panel for Keralites returning from UAE

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM JAN. 1. The Kerala Government would be taking steps to help Keralites forced to return from the United Arab Emirates, the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, announced here on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister said that about 40,000 Indians would have to return to India under the amnesty scheme announced by the Emirates. The Government viewed this with concern and the Cabinet had set up a sub-committee with the Minister for Non-resident Keralites Affairs (NoRKA), M.M. Hassan, as convener to deal with the situation. The Revenue Minister, K.M. Mani, the Industries Minister, P.K. Kunhalikutty, the Finance Minister, K. Sankaranarayanan, and the Transport Minister, K.B. Ganesh Kumar, would be its members.

Engineering entrance

Mr. Antony announced that candidates from other States would also be allowed to appear in the entrance examinations for engineering courses next year. However, they would be given admission only in self-financing colleges.

He said the Cabinet had rejected the proposal to give two per cent bonus marks to those appearing for the entrance test for the first time.

Replying to questions about the controversy regarding the move to entrust distribution of water to private parties, the Chief Minister said that all projects involving policy matters would have to be approved by the Cabinet. The proposal for the Kochi Industrial Supply Project was proposed during the LDF rule. The Government had not approved the project. Calling for expression of interest from private parties did not amount to a decision on the project.

He said that development was not family affair of the UDF. The Government was not adamant on any proposal. It wanted a consensus on development matters.

The Chief Minister parried questions on reports that the Cabinet had taken a decision on allowing private investment in water supply projects and that the KSIDC had acted on the basis of orders issued by the Government in this respect. He also did give direct answers to questions whether it was right for the Government to have advertised projects, spending public money, if the policy decision had not been taken.

He also declined to be drawn into commenting on the criticism of the Global Investor's Meet by senior Congress leader, K. Karunakaran. ``Our relations are warm. There may be differences as those that would occur in a family. But these could not be discussed in public.''

He said that the redeployment of Government staff would continue this year. The work would actually take off only this year, as there was delay last year on account of opposition from the employees.

He said that the Government had not taken any decision on extension of PSC ranklists further in view of the delay in redeployment. It had already taken a decision to absorb candidates who had been given advice memo, and about 15,500 persons had been appointed. Normally, the Government took about 20,000 persons into service every year. Some posts were remaining unreported because temporary hands were working in those posts. Some department heads delayed reporting of the vacancies on humanitarian grounds. But the Government policy was that the vacancies should be filled with regular hands at the earliest.

He said the Kelkar Committee report had several recommendations that were not acceptable to the Government. The Government would be sending its representation to the Centre after studying the report.

A conference of Members of Parliament would be held on February 4. Discussions would be held on this and other matters to be taken up with the Central Government. The State Government had taken up many issues with the Central Government in the past and had received favourable response from the Centre. However, several orders on these decisions were yet to be issued.

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