The State government, as part of its market-intervention initiatives to combat rising prices of essential goods, is looking at the revival of the Maveli budget hotels, which offered meals at subsidised rates but many of which had become defunct over the last three years, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash has said.
Interacting with the media after the annual conference of District Collectors and heads of departments here on Thursday, Mr. Prakash said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had stated that talks would be held with petroleum companies to ensure the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at subsidised rates to these hotels, besides providing them with rice, sugar and other essential items at reduced rates. Many of these hotels, started during the previous government’s tenure, had pulled down shutters owing to lack of support from the government in purchasing essential goods and the hotels would be revived if possible.
Collectors of all districts had also been asked to hold meetings with hoteliers and traders to evolve a consensus on price affairs so as to reduce the burden on the common man, he said.
The conference, Mr. Prakash said, discussed time-bound implementation of government schemes in all districts and special emphasis was paid to the follow-up on requests submitted by the public during the Chief Minister’s mass-contact programmes held last year. Directions were issued to handle each issue on a department-wise basis, with issues that could not be handled at the district administration-level to be forwarded to the Cabinet.
The Cabinet’s recent decisions on issues received thus were also conveyed to the Collectors on Thursday.
Directions had also been issued to speed up land acquisition for various requirements, including expansion of national highways and laying of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) pipelines among others.
Fast decisions, incorporating the needs of the people evicted or those who had to give up land, were asked for, the Minister said, adding that there were several “good suggestions” from the Collectors. The government would take up all these suggestions and include them in its decision-making process, he added.
Chief Secretary K. Jayakumarand Collectors from all 14 districts and heads of departments were present.
