THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the curtains came down on the Nava Kerala Sadas in the city on Saturday, many proposals and needs of Thiruvananthapuram were placed before the chief minister and his cabinet. A morning meeting with a selected audience stressed the need to invite more multinational companies to Technopark. This was emphasised by Rajiv Krishnan, representative of the employees’ organisation at the IT park.
Rajiv urged the CM to implement the K-Rail project and sought more train stops at Kazhakootam railway station. Musician Omanakutty lauded the government for its achievements in the IT sector. Noted filmmaker and chairman of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, Shaji N Karun, demanded that Chitranjali film studio be developed further, to make Thiruvananthapuram a hub of Indian films. Actor Sudheer Karamana brought to the notice of the CM the need to attract more film lovers to theatres. E M Najeeb stressed the need to strengthen government intervention in the tourism sector.
A total of 3,031 memorandums were received from Nemom assembly constituency. Kovalam and Kazhakoottam accounted for 3,715 and 3,319 memorandums, respectively. Speaking at Nemom constituency, CM Pinarayi Vijayan thanked the people for their active participation in the Sadas. “We were not looking to target anyone. We merely hoped to present the issues facing the state and the Central government’s anti-Kerala stance before the people,” he said.
Agriculture Minister P Prasad said the Nava Kerala Sadas has given shape to a new democratic model. “We wanted to hear the voice of the people,” he said. Power Minister K Krishnan Kutty noted that the government has spent `200 crore to make Thiruvananthapuram a solar city. “We will accord more importance to the power sector,” he added.
Tourism and Public Works Minister P A Mohammed Riyas said this was the first time that the cabinet had approached the people, without discriminating between rural and urban areas. Finance Minister K N Balagopal, while speaking at Kazhakkottam constituency, said if the Union government gives Kerala its GST revenue share of `21,000 crore and other dues to the tune of `21,000 crore, all the problem of the state will be solved.