UDF calls for making public ADB loan agreement

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 15 (UNI) The Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala today urged the state government to make public the agreement it had signed with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for urban development in the context of differences expressed by the Chief Minister and some of the constituents of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).

UDF Convener P P Thankachan told a news conference here that the people had every right to know details about the agreement as it related to a loan of Rs 1,400 crore for sustainable urban development to be implemented by five municipal corporations in the state.

He said the Chief Minister himself had stated that the agreement was not discussed in the Cabinet and it was signed without his knowledge. Besides, some of the LDF partners had also expressed serious misapprehensions about it.

Mr Thankachan also condemned the move of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and the Students Federation of India (SFI) to take out marches to law courts in protest against the invalidation of some key provisions of the Kerala Self-financing Professional Colleges Act. Describing the move as "dangerous and anti-democratic," he urged the state government and the CPI(M) leadership to discourage such tendencies.

Mr Thankachan said the UDF would launch a series of agitation beginning with a dharna before the State Secretariat tomorrow to protest against price-rise, deteriorating law and order situation and the government's "failure" to sove the crisis in the farm sector.

Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy would inaugurate the dharna which would also be addressed by leaders of the UDF constituents.

He said "failure" of the state government for effective market intervention was the main reason for the price-rise. Instead of taking necessary steps in this regard, it was trying to put the entire blame on the Centre, he added.

UNI