Kerala CM pledges govt support to local bodies sans political bias

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi on Wednesday asked the newly elected representatives of local bodies to focus on achieving food self-sufficiency and creation of jobs in the state, as he pledged the LDF government's support without any political bias.

He also told them to encourage entrepreneurship at the local level while ensuring an industry-friendly environment.

In an online interaction with the local self government representatives elected in the recent local body elections, which the LDF swept, he said the policy of the government was that no one should go hungry in the state.

"The distribution ofthefreerationkits and the opening of low-cost hotels are meant to achieve this goal. This system needs to be further strengthened. The Subhiksha Kerala scheme for achieving food self-sufficiency should be implemented more vigorously," Vijayan said.

"We all should work together beyond politics for the development of the state. The state government will not show any sort of discrimination and will support all the local body institutions in the state without any political bias," he said.

Vijayan asked thenew governing bodies to provide ease of doing business for the entrepreneurs. Their problems should be addressed and resolved and necessary interventions should be made to create an industry-friendly environment.

"Marketing facilities should be provided for the products of small scale producers. The support and cooperation of cooperative societies should be ensured for this," the chief minister added.

Stressing the need to implement welfare and development programmes at all levels as people need more relief, Vijayan urged the local body representatives to create maximum number of working days before the onset of next monsoon through the rural employment guarantee Scheme.