Centre continuing negative stand towards Kerala: CM

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pina rayi Vijayan has claimed that the BJP-led central government's negative stand is continuing as it rejected the state's demand for additional rice allocation for the Onam fes tival season. The CM, in a Facebook post, has called for a united protest by all political parties against the al leged anti-Kerala stand of the central government.

He said that Kerala demand ed that five kilograms of rice per card be provided to non-priority families at the rate of Rs 8.30 currently being provided to the state as a tide-over allocation. The state government also demanded that the allotment of wheat, which was being pro vided as a tide-over allocation until two years ago, be restored, he said.

To prevent the price of rice from soaring in the market during special occasions like Onam, it is necessary to ensure the availability of food grains to the non-priori ty sections as much as pos sible, he said. "It is in this context that the state de manded an additional rice allocation to be provided to the non-priority sections," Vijayan said in his post.

He also said that according to health statistics, a significant sec tion of the state's population is suffering from diabetes, and that is why the demand for re storing the allot ment of wheat to the non-priority sections was raised. "But the cen tral government has been ruthlessly rejecting these de mands, which are meant to help the common people.

A united protest should be raised in this regard, irrespective of party politics," he insisted. "Protest by the people is essential to correct the anti-Kerala policy of the central government. For that, we must stand united," the CM said. (PTI)