Kerala CM accuses Centre of usurping state’s rights

Thiruvananthapuram: Accusing  the Centre of continuously encroaching upon the powers of  the states, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday said the development and  welfare activities undertaken  by the states were affected  due to the union government  limiting their rights over the  country’s general economic  resources.

The chief minister, while  addressing the MPs from  the state in the run up to the  winter session of Parliament,  claimed that the states ruled  by the BJP have complaints  on such matters.

“Centre is continuously encroaching upon the powers of  the states. It does not consider  the interests of the state. The  Centre also limits the right of  the states to the general economic resources of the country, hindering their development and welfare activities.  Even states ruled by the Centre’s ruling party are raising  such issues,” Vijayan said.

Urging MPs to intervene in  such a way that the development and welfare activities  of the state can be carried  forward in a good manner, the  Chief Minister claimed that  the Union Government took  the responsibility of GST arrears and vaccination as a result of “our joint efforts” and  accused the Centre of not considering the interest of Kerala  on the issue of food grains,  rubber price, coastal protection and expatriate rehabilitation -- the areas directly  responsible to the Centre. He  said the states should be provided with GST compensation  after July 2022 and for the next  five years.

Vijayan also urged the MPs  to intervene to get Kerala the  Rs 2,412 crore as Sectoral Specific Grant and Rs 1,100 crore  as State Specific Grant recommended by the 15th Finance  Commission. He said the cooperation of the Centre and  the state in development activities, especially in the field  of infrastructure, is very important. “There is cooperation  in some areas. The MPs should  try to expand it”, Vijayan said  and sought the support of MPs  for pushing the state government’s ambitious high-speed  Silverline rail project connecting Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram.

Claiming it was an important indispensable project for  the future of the state, the CM  said the doubts of some people  regarding the project, which  will play an important role in  the development of the state,  will be removed.

The Congress-led opposition  has termed as “unscientific  and impractical” the project  and said it will put a huge financial burden of around Rs  1.24 lakh crores on the state.  The project is expected to reduce travel time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod to  around four hours. -(PTI)

Govt suspends IFS officer Bennichen

The Kerala government has suspended Chief Wildlife  Warden Bennichen Thomas over the controversial order  granting permission to Tamil Nadu to fell 15 trees growing in the close vicinity of the baby dam of the larger  Mullaperiyar Dam. The suspension order was issued on  Thursday. PTI The Kerala government has suspended  Chief Wildlife Warden Bennichen Thomas over the  controversial order granting permission to Tamil Nadu to  fell 15 trees growing in the close vicinity of the baby dam  of the larger Mullaperiyar Dam. The suspension order was  issued on Thursday. -(PTI)