Kerala to be Vrindavanam: VS

ALAPPUZHA: Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan inaugurated the Rs 1,840-crore Kuttanad Package at a function held on the Mankomb Civil Station premises at Kuttanad on Sunday.

Union Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, who was present at the function, inaugurated the flood management work of the package.

In his inaugural speech, Achuthanandan said that with the fruitful execution of the package, the state would turn into a ‘Vrindavanam’ of the country. He urged the farmers not to sell their paddyfields to resorts and hotels.

He said though the Centre gave its accord for the Kuttanad Package two years ago, it did not sanction the funds for executing the package, thus delaying it for months.

Bansal said if the state submitted projects under the package on time, the Centre would give utmost priority for sanctioning it.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas, in his presidential address, promised that the Centre was ready to give loans to farmers at 5 percent interest.

The Chief Minister said the state govt was already giving interest-free loans to farmers and hence, the Centre should extend its help to the government rather than give loans at 5 percent interest.