The Hindu Business Line : Kerala Govt unveils 1-year action plan

THE State Government has unveiled a one-year action plan covering all the departments as a sequel to the 100-day action plan, which concluded in December last year.

The plan, styled `Kerala Fast Forward', was to start rolling on January 1 this year, but had to be put off in the wake of the tsunami attack on the Kerala coast , the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, told reporters on Monday while announcing the details of the plan.

Against this backdrop, the top priority has been given to relief measures in the tsunami-affected areas. These include construction of seawalls, implementation of water supply schemes in the affected areas, provision of boats, nets and other equipment to those who lost them, construction of houses and repair of power supply systems.

Efforts to ensure transparency in governance, an intensive drive against corruption, a campaign against alcoholism and the revival of traditional industries are some of the other thrust areas of the plan.

In the drive against corruption, the plan focuses on the Right of Information Bill and Rules, the selection of untainted persons to key posts, freeze on frequent transfers, removal of obsolete laws and rules from the Rule Book and simplification of procedures for availing oneself of any service from the Government.

In the agriculture sector, the plan aims at taking up rice cultivation in 10,000 hectares of barren land and providing employment to unemployed youth. Also, a scheme with an outlay of Rs 64.55 crore will be introduced to support coconut cultivation.

The other highlights in the agriculture sector include the establishmentof an agri-export zone for spices, medicinal plans and floriculture, a Rs 20-crore support scheme for pepper cultivation, the introduction of an agricultural produce marketing legislation and the setting up of a State horticultural mission.

Among the traditional industries, the coir industry is sought to be rejuvenated with the starting of a National Coir Research and Management Institute in Thiruvananthapuram; the implementation of a coir cluster development scheme in Alappuzha district with a project cost of Rs 56 crore; and a marketing scheme for coir units in the public and co-operative sectors.

Some of the industrial projects in the pipeline such as the LNG terminal in Kochi, a port-based special economic zone, a free trade and warehousing zone in Kochi and one-time financial support to State public sector undertakings, figure in the new action plan.

The other programmes in the list are a revival fund for handicrafts industry, a National Institute of Handloom Technology and the construction of 500 units under the Rural Employment Guarantee Programme to provide employment to 3,000 persons.

In the information technology (IT) sector, too, the plan aims at initiating work on some of the projects that have already been drawn up. These include an IT corridor in Thiruvananthapuram, the replication of the "Akshaya" e-literacy projects in seven districts, the establishment of an integrated IT township in Kochi and the extension of the State wide area network to the block level.

In the power sector, the plan gives priority to the commissioning of the Malankara hydro-electric project (10.5 MW), the lower Meenmutty project (3.5 MW), the Kuttiar diversion scheme (37 MW) and the Kuttiady augmentation scheme.

Some of the other prominent programmes are a new Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme scheme worth Rs 1,173 crore, commencement of work on Pallivasal (60 MW) and Athirapally (163 MW) hydel projects and service connections to five lakh households.

The Chief Minister said that projects worth Rs 30,000 crore, includingthose with Central assistance, are expected to be taken up during the one-year plan. Most of these projects are either already sanctioned or those in the pipeline, he added.

The Government would launch a five-year perspective plan on November 1 this year to coincide with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the State's formation, the Chief Minister said.

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