Kerala CM Oomen Chandy to meet PM with State memo today

In its first memorandum to Modi Government, the state is going to raise all pending issues including Kasturirangan report, CRZ regulations, crash in rubber prices, Idukki and Kuttanad package and Palakkad coach factory. “We are going to take up all issues with the Prime Minister. I did meet him soon after he took charge but that was just a courtesy call,’’ the chief minister said.

Finance Minister K M Mani will accompany the chief minister for the meeting with PM. Apart from Chandy and Mani, seven other ministers are also leaving for Delhi to meet union ministers to take up the pending issues of their respective departments.

The chief minister said that in the wake of National Green Tribunal (NGT) acknowledging Kerala’s stand on Kasturirangan report, he would impress upon Union Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar to issue the notification at the earliest. The chief minister said the implementation of CRZ norms had created major problems in the state.

“On our request MoEF had sent an expert panel to the state which held detailed interaction with the people. We will request the Centre to make changes in CRZ norms to allay the fears of the coastal community,’’ he added.

The chief minister said he would request the Centre to include state’s industrialists especially those involved in rubber based industries in the Prime Minister “Making India” project . We will also reiterate our demand for expediting Kuttanad, Idukki packages and Palakkad rail coach factory.

The delegation will meet Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and request her to withdraw the decision of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) to decline extension to 10 BEd Centres functioning under Kerala University. Mr Chandy said he would invite President Pranab Mukheree and Prime Minster Narendran Modi for the opening and closing ceremonies of 35th National Games to be held in the State.