Cabinet proposes extensive market intervention during Onam
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday decided to undertake extensive market intervention to keep prices of essential commodities under check during Onam season.
Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan told the media after the Cabinet meeting that 1464 Onam markets including 56 special Onam markets would organised during the festival season.
Of the Budget allocation of Rs. 150 crore for the current year, Rs. 81.43 crore would be allocated for Supplyco and Rs. 4.60 crore for Onam markets. Rs. 45 crore would be provided for market intervention.
The Chief Minister said that the Agriculture Department, Horticulture Development Corporation, Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council Kerala and State Horticulture Mission too would be organising markets. Halls would be provided to local bodies to organise markets. Other agencies such as Hantex and Hanveev too would be participating in the Onam markets.
Rice for students
Mr. Vijayan said that the government and aided school students would be given 5 kg of rice for Onam. Onam kits would be provided to tribals. The allocation of rice to APL families would be increased from eight to ten kilograms.
He said that the price monitoring cell of the Civil Supplies Department would be activated. Special squads would be functioning to keep prices under control.
He said that the 60th anniversary of formation of Kerala would be celebrated on November 1 this year with a variety of programmes. A Cabinet subcommittee with Tourism Minister A. C. Moideen as convenor had been formed to chalk out the programmes.
He said that Rs. 3000 crore would be released for clearing arrears of welfare pensions. Pensions would be delivered at home of pensioners through cooperatives. Onam would be celebrated in Delhi with participation of President, ministers, legislators and officials on September 3.
The Cabinet congratulated UAE government and officials and others for rescue of passengers of Emirates Airlines which met with an accident in Dubai recently. It would convey its condolences to the family of the person who lost his life during rescue work.
He said that Minister Thomas Isaac and Mathew Thomas would be deputed to represent the State at the canonisation of Mother Teresa in Rome.
On Kerala Congress (M) quitting the UDF, the Chief Minster said that the party was seeing good in BJP which was responsible for Ghar Vapasi and attack on Christians. An alliance with BJP would destroy the party.
He recalled that the CPI (M) had said that the UDF would collapse after the elections. Now, one of its three main pillars was gone.
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