THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The MPs’ conference convened here on Tuesday ahead of the winter session of Parliament has called upon the Kerala MPs to mount pressure on the Centre to grant more funds for the rail projects in the state. The conference also asked the MPs to take up pending issues concerning various departments with the Union ministries.In the meeting attended by Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P J Kurien, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked the MPs to take up issues plaguing the railway sector. He wanted the MPs’ intervention in forcing the Centre to allocate budgetary provision for Thalassery-Mysore rail line, allotment of six new trains as part of the Rapid Transit System.
The demand for new trains in the Thiruvananthapuram-Chengannur route, 100 percent funding for the Angamaly-Sabari rail project have also been taken up with the MPs. The government pointed out that new rail lines were required from Balaramapuram to Vizhinjam to link the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Terminal and a line to link the Cochin International Airport. The Centre should grant both these projects as a joint venture.The MPs were also asked to take up the Guruvayur-Thirunavaya line project and ensure sufficient budget allocation for it.
The conference also discussed the impact of foreign trawlers in the Kerala’s coastal sea and its adverse effect on Kerala fishermen. The MPs said the state also should mount pressure on the Centre in this regard. A national level policy in catching small fish is required. The government pointed out foreign trawlers were causing huge loss to the tax revenue of the state. Kerala would ask the Centre to increase the state government’s limit of territorial waters from 12 nautical miles to 36.
It has been decided to demand reinstating kerosene permit for fishing boats.The government also wants the Centre to reinstate the food grain quota as per Food Security Act. The meeting also wanted the Centre to reinstate the sugar quota to provide sugar to priority category. It also wanted the Centre to reinstate the slashed kerosene quota of the state and asked MPs to press for Central assistance for projects under the Legal Metrology Department.