World | India
Kerala to focus on agricultural and traditional sectors
Kerala governor R.L. Bhatia on Friday delivered the policy address of the new Left Democratic Front government opening the first full-fledged session of the House after the new government came to power last month.
- By Akhel Mathew, Correspondent
- Published: 00:00 June 17, 2006
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala governor R.L. Bhatia on Friday delivered the policy address of the new Left Democratic Front government opening the first full-fledged session of the House after the new government came to power last month.
Toeing the pre-election line adopted by the LDF, the policy address laid emphasis on the agricultural and traditional sectors of the economy.
Many areas of the these sectors including cashew, coir and handicrafts are facing serious challenges in the state and are in dire need of government support.
In a clear indication that the new government was averse to privatisation, the policy address stated that the government was not in favour of privatising the Kerala State Electricity Board.
In his address, Bhatia pointed out that the aim of the government was to offer corruption-free governance.
The policy address also pointed out some of the grave challenges faced by the new government, including the precarious financial situation of the state and the loss in revenues caused by the implementation of the value added tax system.
The Opposition United Democratic Front criticised the policy address stating that it lacked farsight.
"The governor's policy address lacks far sight," opposition leader Oommen Chandy said, adding that if the government thought that the financial situation of the state was precarious, it should bring out a white paper on that.
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