The Hindu Business Line : `Own your water connection' scheme on cards in Kerala

THE State Government proposes to introduce Own Your Water Supply Connections in the lines of the Own Your Electric Connection (OYEC) for expedited sanction of new supply lines.

Announcing this, the State Water Resources Minister, Mr Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, told the State Assembly that the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has a good model in the OYEC scheme popularised by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) that promises connections on demand.

In a written reply, he said the KWA would need to be more circumspect in servicing the demand since the feasibility would have to be ensured first.

Arrears pending: Severe resources crunch has prevented the department from taking up a number of projects including replacement of pipes.

The situation has been made worse by the fact that the KWA is nursing huge arrears run up by various Government and public sector undertakings (Rs 91 crore) and individuals and institutions (Rs 37 crore).

Certain concessions and benefits have since been made available to domestic consumers to make them pay the arrears, the Minister said.

Malabar tourism circuit: The Tourism Minister, Mr K.C. Venugopal, informed the House that the Centre has approved a scheme for promoting tourism in the Malabar area.

Replying to a submission, the Minister said that a sum of Rs 8 crore has been sanctioned for the Malabar Tourism Circuit project. Separately, a tourist complex will be set up at Paithalmal in Kannur district. Both the projects would be completed in a year's time.

Liquor consumption: The Excise Minister, Mr Vakkom Purushothaman, told the House that average consumption of liquor in the State has risen to 3.11 litres in 2003-04 from 2.04 litres in 2001-02.

In a written reply, the Minister said discussions were being held with trade union leaders and others prior to formulation of the new Abkari Policy for 2005-06. The Government's stated policy is in favour of bringing about total prohibition in the State in a phased manner.

Awareness campaigns and seminars will continue to be held to push this agenda, the Minister added.

Handloom development: The Industries Minister, Mr V.K. Ebrahim Kunju, told the House that the State Government proposed to implement a Centrally-assisted Rs 26-crore project for infrastructure development in the textiles sector.

Replying to a calling attention motion, the Minister said 125 acres of land have been acquired in two places in Kannur district for the project. Another 40 acres would be acquired in latter stages.

The Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) will be the nodal agency for the project.

The FACT Engineering and Design Organisation (Fedo) and the South Indian Textile Research Organisation will provide technical assistance for the project, the foundation stone for which will be laid next month itself.

Expected to be completed in two years' time, the project will bring about a qualitative change in the handloom sector and improve production as well.

Rebate spend: During the last three years, a sum of Rs 87 crore has been spent for the development of the sector. Rebate on purchase of handloom and goods and associated incentives alone have accounted for Rs 53 crore. A special drive would be launched for the sale of Rs 20-croe worth of handloom goods now lying with the two apex co-operative societies.

The Government also proposed to encourage the production of value-added handloom goods by self-help groups covering 7,000-odd weavers in Kannur district. Steps were also being taken for reopening Travanocre Rayons that has been lying closed for the last three years.

A meeting of the company's promoters and representatives of financial institutions will be held soon, the Minister said.

Prawn farms: The State Government proposed to submit a Rs 51.65-crore project to the Centre soon for reviving prawn farms admeasuring to 2,000 hectares destroyed by the December 26 tsunami.

The Minister for Fisheries, Mr Dominic Presentation, announced this while responding to a submission.

The Government was open to considering the demand for allowing moratorium on repayment of loans availed of by prawn farmers who suffered a setback following the spread of `white spot' disease in cultured prawns.

Laboratories have been set up at two places in Ernakulam district as part of the efforts to check the spread of the disease. It is suspected that low quality seedlings brought from outside the State may have been responsible for the affliction, the Minister added.

It has since spread to over 4,410 hectares of prawn farms resulting in a loss of Rs 23 crore.

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