The Hindu Business Line : Call for Kuttanad package implementation authority

Kochi, Oct. 10 The Kuttanadu Vikasana Samithy (KVS) has urged the Chief Minister to constitute a Kuttanad Package Implementation Authority for executing Dr M.S. Swaminathan Committee’s Rs 1,850-crore Kuttanad package.

The Union Cabinet approved the package 10 months ago. So far no serious steps worth mentioning for implementation of the package have been taken by the Government, Father Thomas Peelanickal, Executive Director, KVS, told Business Line on Friday.

What next?

The only initiative taken was in August last. At a meeting convened by the State Agricultural Production Commissioner, various departments concerned were directed to prepare a detailed project report. .

But, nothing has happened so far except for the announcement of constituting a Kuttanad-Alappuzha Prosperity Council with the Chief Minister as Chairman, Agricultural and Irrigations ministers as Vice-chairmen and the M.P.s and MLAs from the project areas as members. The council, as announced by the Chief Minister, is unlikely to serve any purpose, he said.

Panel Proposal

He said that Peoples’ Monitoring Committee of the Kuttanad Package led by the KVS had submitted a proposal to the State Government suggesting constitution of a Kuttanad Package Implementation Authority (KPIA).

Majority of the farmers of Kuttanad feel that time-bound, systematic and scientific execution of the projects, as recommended in the package, would be possible only by such an autonomous authority, he said.

The KPIA should be headed by a senior and efficient IAS officer as Chief Executive Officer. He should be directly reporting to the State Cabinet. The CEO has to be made ex-officio Secretary of all the departments related to the Kuttanad package. In addition, he should have the authority to appoint experts and professionals and other competent hands to the authority apart from having the freedom to seek expert guidance and technical advice from suitable agencies for the project.

Structure for success

Expressing concern over the “compartmentalised functioning of not only departments under the Government, but also the divisions within each department with no co-ordination and co-operation” the Swaminathan Foundation has recommended that the implementation set up with statutory back up may have a two-level structure.

The Kuttanad and Alappuzha Prosperity Council chaired by the Chief Minister may provide required policy guidance and monitoring of task implementation. The second tier set up is Task Implementation Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary.

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