Agri package not adequate for State: CM

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 30 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said the agriculture package announced by the Centre was not adequate to meet the state's requirements.

Addressing a press conference here, he said he would write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh protesting against the insufficient allocation for the state in the package.

However, welcoming the Centre's annoucement that the special package would be prepared for the state covering Idukki and Alappuzha, Mr Achuthanandan said the Centre had sought a detailed report on this. It would be submitted soon.

Stating that the previous United Democratic Front(UDF) government had failed to pressurise the Centre for an adequate package, he said the announcement of the package was the result of the consistent efforts by the present Government.

He alleged that suicides by farmers were increasing on account of the wrong import policies of the Centre. Kerala was losing about Rs 7,000 crore annually in the cash crop sector due to the Centre's policies.

Stressing that more funds should be allocated to the state to solve the problems in the agricultural sector and to check suicides, he said farmers in the state would get only temporary relief with the Rs 765 crore provided by the Centre in the present package.

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