The Hindu Business Line : Kerala bracing to face drought conditions

Thiruvananthapuram March 15 The State Government is pulling up its socks to deal with drought-like conditions expected during the period leading up to the onset of the southwest monsoon later this year.

Various district administrations have been asked to work out action plans to deal with the emerging scenario, the Water Resources Minister, Mr N.K. Premachandran, informed the State Assembly in a written reply on Thursday.

ADVISORY PANELS

Advisory committees have been formed in all the 140 Assembly segments with the local MLA as the Chairman. Care would be taken to undertake repair and maintenance of hand pumps.

Efforts have also been launched with a view to recharging the fast depleting groundwater reservoirs and popularising rainwater harvesting in a broad-based manner, the Minister said.

DEBT RELIEF PANEL

The State Government has constituted a five-member Farmers' Debt Relief Commission to be headed by the former High Court judge, Mr K.A. Abdul Gafoor.

Announcing this, the Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, told the Assembly that the Commission was being constituted under the provisions of the Kerala Farmers Debt Relief Act.

It would look into circumstances leading to distress among the farmer community and recommend steps to address the situation. Other members of the commission are Mr N.K. Bhaskaran, Mr Satyan Mokeri, Prof Chandrasekharan Nair and Prof M.K. Joseph.

DEFUNCT UNITS

Land and buildings belonging to defunct public sector undertakings will be used to set up new industrial units, Minister for Industries, Mr Elamaram Kareem, said.

Replying to questions, he said that the Government was committed to reviving all potentially viable units. As many as15 units under the Department of Industries were remaining closed.

A new company, Infrastructures Kerala Ltd, has been floated with an initial capital of Rs 100 crore. The State Government will hold 26 per cent stake, the Minister said, and added that norms would be evolved to sell some of the equity to private investors.

SEZ AT KOCHI

The Union Commerce Ministry had approved the setting up of a Special Economic Zone for IT-based industries on 30 acres of land owned by Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) at Kalamassery in Kochi.

A revival package for Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron) was being worked out.

HOSPITAL REVAMP

Infrastructure facilities in hospitals would be ramped up across the State, the Health Minister, Ms P.K. Sreemathi, told the Assembly while replying to a calling attention motion.

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