CM's Delhi Meeting; New Developments to Kerala

The 2 day visit of Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his cabinet ministers to Delhi to meet the union ministers was a great success. CM with Industrial Minister P K Kunhalikutty , Finance Minister K M Mani, Electricity Minister Aryadan Mohammed, Minister for Rural Development and Planning K C Joseph, Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan and Minister for Panchayats and Social Welfare M K Muneer had gone to Delhi to meet various union ministers to discuss various issues relating the development Progress in Kerala. Even though his team couldnot meet the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, his team met as many as 17 union ministers during their 2 days stay at Delhi. CM told that his team completed all meetings and this visit will lay a path to various developments in the state.

The centre has given approval for the much awaited Kochi Rail project. The metro will be as per the Chennai model. The centre has also given approval for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus in Kerala. The campus will come up in Palakkad. The project will come up in the 12th five year plan. The state government has a give 300-600 acres of land or this huge project. He also told that state government's proposal for the Indian Institute of Science and technology at Malappuram is also considered by the central and will be discussed in the coming five year plan.

The state is going to get huge revenue as the central government gave approval for the Vizhinjam Port. Union Government also cleared the allocation of 15 Kg of rice to all APL card holders. Agreement has also been reached to inaugurate HEL Electric Machine Ltd.- a joint venture between BHEL and KEL in Kasargod. This is as part of a steel plant that is to be set up in the district. Apart from this assistance for Cochlear Implantation scheme for the hearing impaired will be provided by the centre. Centre has agreed to raise the additional Indian Reserve Battalion and the establishment of Kerala Anti- Narcotic Special Action Force. Rs 1048 crores have been sanctioned to carry out relief, rehabilitation and repair work due to flood havoc in the state. A central team will visit the state to assess the damage caused to properties and other infrastructure in the recent rain in the state.

The central government informed their pleasure for the state's Asraya Project and the same kind of project will be implemented at the national level. Centre promised to give Rs 10 lakh each for the resettlement of tribal people from the dense forest areas of Wayanad. Centre also gave clearance for the setting up of a Marine University and the tribal welfare project in Attapadi. CM also signed a MoU with KIOCL to conduct study and exploration of Iron ore mining in Kerala