Depriving Kerala from PM's package ''unfortunate:" CPI(M)

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 2 (UNI) Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan today said exempting Kerala from the package declared for the areas where farmers' suicide reported by the Prime Minister was ''quite unfortunate and objectionable.'' Though the state expected more on the PM's announcement, it completely avoided Kerala, where more than 1,500 farmers' suicide cases were reported. At the same time, the Prime Minister had announced several packages for Vidharbha in Maharashtra, he said in a statement.

''The Centre should treat all states equally and provide relief assistance accordingly,'' he noted.

Mr Vijayan urged the Centre to sanction adequate funds to Kerala as had been done for Maharashtra from the PM's relief fund.

The Agriculture Department had reported farmers' suicides from Palakkad, Wayanad and Kasaragod districts to the PM's office and it had sought a special relief of Rs 1,200 crore in the first year and subsequent five years, he added.

UNI CGV VD HT1845