List ready for top posts in central commodities boards
K. P. Sreesan
Kochi: The Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which has failed to land ministerial berths at the Centre or gubernatorial positions is now eyeing plum posts in commodities boards headquartered in Kerala. In the process, the party seeks to defy statutes and conventions, it is pointed out.
The BJP state leadership is said to have prepared a list of candidates to head Central commodity boards which include the Rubber Board, the Coconut Development Board (CDB) and the Coir Board, apart from other positions. It is reliably learnt that the party has recommended the names of former state president C. K. Padmanabhan as Coir Board chairman and state secretary K. P. Sreesan as CDB chairman.
BJP state secretary A. N. Radhakrishnan refused comment on the development. CDB had Congress leader N. I. Devassykkutty as its chairman in the formative years while party leader Prof K. M. Chandy was Rubber Board chairman between 1972 and 1978. The Coir Board, too, had several politicians heading it. At present, some of these are cadre posts of officers of All India services.
“It is the prerogative of the government to decide the nature of appointments and nominate people,” said a senior IAS officer on deputation to the Centre. “It can change the norms.” Sources familiar with the functioning of the boards point out that the chairmen of CDB and Rubber Board are chief executive officers and not honorary posts.
“The positions of CEOs of commodity boards demand administrative experience and domain knowledge to effectively hold the position,” an expert pointed out. “The Rubber Board chairman, for example, gets to head the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) while the Coconut Board chairman is actively involved in the functioning of Asia Pacific Coconut Community.”
The government has not reconstituted the board or appointed a chairperson after incumbent Sheela Thomas, an IAS officer of Kerala cadre, became the chairperson of ANRPC in February 2014. The government has handed additional charge of the crucial post to Spices Board chairman A Jayatilak. The tenure of T. K. Jose, another IAS officer of Kerala cadre, at CDB is to expire in February next. “It will upset the series of farmer-friendly initiatives the CDB is taking if there is a change at the board now,” said K. Shajahan, chairman of the Consortium of Coconut producer Companies Kerala. “Coconut farmers across the country will revolt if such a change is made now.”
( Source : dc correspondent )
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