MPs’ conference decides to put pressure on Centre not to privatise Trivandrum airport
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state has decided to put pressure on Central Government to ensure that the Trivandrum International Airport remains in the public sector, This was decided at the MPs’ conference chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Monday, ahead of the Parliament’s monsoon session which is scheduled to begin on September 14.Pinarayi informed that if the Centre is going ahead with the decision to privatise the Thiruvananthapuram airport, then the state will under no circumstances cooperate with the decision.
The decision is that the functioning of the airport should be given to the State Government in the light of the experience in handling the airports through private-public partnership in Kochi and Kannur. The state has also urged the Centre not to withdraw the Dictionary of Martyrs of India’s Freedom Struggle, jointly published by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), containing names of Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji, a leader of the Malabar Rebellion, and Aali Musaliar from. The decision was unanimously supported by the 20 MPs.
Other decisions
1.The Centre should abandon its decision to privatise the largest petroleum company, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. The Kochi Refinery of BPCL was set up with the assistance of the State Government, including financial assistance. The State Government has decided to give a loan worth Rs 1500 crore and also a petrochemical park worth Rs 25, 000 crore is being envisaged in Kochi. Hence under these circumstances the BPCL should be maintained under the public sector.
2.Rs 7000 crore is due from the Centre towards GST compensation until July which should be expedited. The complete compensation dues for the five-year period should be given.
A piece of legislation should be brought forth by the Centre where they should be made liable to pay the compensation as per the Constitution.
The Centre should not solely rely on the cess to pay the compensation. The State Government expressed its displeasure against the Centre’s decision that the compensation amount should be taken as loan amount for this year as it would only increase the liability.
3.The moratorium should be extended until December 31 and the interest during this period should also be reduced.
4.States should be granted special grants due to the pandemic and this should be included as a priority in the 15th finance commission recommendations.
5.National highway development should be expedited and also the National Highways Authority of India should take steps to settle cases on land acquisition. The State Government recalled that Kerala was the first state in the country to provide 25 per cent of the land cost.
6.States should be given discretion to spend more funds from the State Disaster Response Fund.
7.Steps should be taken to provide Rs 220 crore at the earliest towards the procurement of paddy.
8.Central funds towards the Jal Jeevan Mission which is aimed at providing drinking water in rural areas should be increased to 75 per cent from 50 per cent.
9.Steps should be taken to expedite the setting up of All India Institute of Medical Sciences where already the Centre had been informed of identifying 200 acres at Kinalur.
10. Environmental clearance should be provided by the Union Environment ministry for setting up the Indian Coast Guard Academy at Azheekkal harbour in Kannur.