Sunday, October 23, 2011: Kerala today urged the Centre to develop a
mechanism at central level for fast tracking clearances of important
projects like Kochi Metro, Vizhinjam Deep Sea International Transhipment
Terminal and Kannur Airport.
In his speech at the National Development Council here, Chief
Minister Oommen Chandy said his government has identified certain
priority areas which are the need of the hour for speedy development of
the state.
Maintaining that his government has already put in place a system for
monitoring major projects like Kochi Metro, Vizhinjam Port, Kannur
Airport and Palakkad Rail Coach factory, Chandy said the Centre should
“build a mechanism for fast tracking clearances at their level of
projects that are of critical importance to the state”.
Observing that Kerala has achieved yardsticks identified by Planning
Commission in the health sector, he said his state faces various second
generation problems and urged the Centre to allow it to prepare its own
strategy to deal with them. ” since states differ in their need and
capability, each state must be tasked to state their priority outcome
areas for the Plan, quantify their objectives for these areas and
develop their strategies to achieve these objectives,” Chandy said while
asking Planning Commission to include this demand when it prepares the
12th Plan.
He said Kerala is the only state in the country which faces various
second generation problems related to health care, geriatric care,
non-communicable diseases, mental health issues and like areas. Chandy
also sought the Planning Commission’s attention in the education sector
as in the case of health sector. “We have in fact already attained the
target of gross enrolment ration in our schools. However, as far as
Kerala is concerned, providing quality education, especially in the
higher education sector is a major challenge,” he said.
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