THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 30:
Kerala proposes to seek Centre’s nod to retain the option of 20 per cent import duty to reflect expected changes in the price of rubber regime following the monsoon.
Currently, importers can pay either 20 per cent import duty on the value of rubber or Rs 20 per kg of imports, whichever is lower.
TWIN NORMS
The State Government wants the 20-per cent norm to stay while the other option may be done away with, K.C. Joseph, minister for rural development, told newspersons here.
He said this while briefing them on the proceedings at a meeting of members of Parliament from the State on issues to be taken up during the monsoon session of the House.
The twin norms applicable now were fixed when rubber prices ruled around Rs 100. Anand Sharma, Union Commerce Minister, had acceded to the State’s demand but necessary orders had not been issued.
MPs must work to persuade the Ministry of Commerce to ensure that these were notified at the earliest.
FLOOD RELIEF
The State Government has arrived at a figure of Rs 607 crore in terms of flood relief assistance to be sought from the Centre. Adoor Prakash, revenue minister, has handed over a detailed memorandum to authorities.
Meanwhile, the State Government proposes to continue to press its demand for listing sea erosion and lightning as natural calamities.
Although the Centre had included snake bite as one on such a request, it had chosen to ignore the other two. This was injustice to coastal States which were prone to these types of calamities year after year.
The minister told the MPs to also highlight the lag on work on proposed railway coach factory at Palakkad. Steel Authority of India had expressed interest and was willing to invest Rs 550 crore in the project.
EDUCATION LOAN
With respect to education loans, Indian Banks’ Association must mark down eligibility norm for specified courses from a total score of 60 per cent to 50 per cent.
The Minister said that the State Government may have lagged in the implementation of the first phase of the Prime Minister’s Gramin Sadak Yojna, but it has managed to catch up with the rest.
The MPs must push the case for the State for being included in the second phase in respect of which it has been left far behind by its southern neighbours.
GRAIN QUOTA
The minister told the MPs that the Centre has agreed to retain its current grain quota even after the food security regime rings in.
The Chief Secretary will call a meeting here on Wednesday to discuss the implementation of the 12-point programme for tribals in Attappady as suggested by the Prime Minister’s Office.
An all party conference will be called to arrive at an amicable settlement over demarcation of ecologically fragile areas along Western Ghat foothills as proposed by the Gadgil and Kasturi Rangan committees.
Source: The Hindu
