In an unmistakable sign of the pro-poor orientation of the Pinarayi Vijayan Government, the accent is on programmes to benefit the poor and the downtrodden. The address has been hailed as a refreshing change from the erstwhile Oommen Chandy Government’s overtly pro-corporate agenda.

The piece de resistance is the comprehensive health plan which promises free treatment to all. This will be achieved by coordinating different health care facilities in the State, the Governor said. The free-treatment programme is aimed at relieving the misery of the poor people who are being pushed into poverty because of the prohibitive cost of treatment and hospitalisation. The centre-piece of the government’s ‘health mission’ is to be a pre-payment scheme with the help of insurance companies. A highlight of the scheme is that it would benefit all those who are not covered under various health insurance schemes.

Another project is a comprehensive health programme with the focus on Primary Health Centres (PHCs). The PHCs would be equipped to identify and solve health problems locally. Creation of an electronic health record which contains the health data of all citizens is also being attempted.

A major emphasis is on the creation of 25 lakh jobs over the next five years. Out of this, 10 lakh jobs would be created in areas such as information technology, bio-technology, tourism, electronics and other emerging areas. Besides, 15 lakh jobs would be created in agriculture, construction, commerce and small industries. The accent on job creation is in line with the LDF’s election manifesto.

The area of infrastructure development encompasses completion of the Mangalore-Kochi gas pipeline project, acceleration of land acquisition for road development and doubling of space available in IT parks.

With a view to preventing rising crimes against women, the Government intends to set up an integrated 24-hour one-step crisis centre to ensure safety of women.

In line with the promise in the LDF manifesto, the Pinarayi Government would re-launch the people’s plan with special accent on implementation of plans in areas such as total sanitation, organic vegetable cultivation and natural resources management. The district planning committees, which played a key role during the Achuthanandan Government would be revived.

In accordance with the decision to accord to priority to agriculture, the Government plans to increase the land under paddy cultivation to three lakh hectares and the land for vegetable farming to 50,000 hectares. A special package to boost cash crops and revival of the Kuttanad package also form the overall plan to give a big boost to the agriculture sector. Proper implementation of the package would drastically reduce, if not end Kerala’s dependence on neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for rice and vegetables. The long-term goal is to make Kerala self-sufficient in rice and vegetables, a position which the state enjoyed in the past.

The Governor’s address also highlights the acute financial crisis bedevelling the state. Such is the magnitude of the crisis that the state is left with virtually no funds for capital expenditure such as roads and bridges and other major infrastructure projects. That is the bitter legacy handed by the erstwhile UDF Government, whose poor management has worsened the fiscal health of the state. (IPA Service)