Alappuzha, Saturday 20 June 2009: Union Ministerof State for Agriculture K.V. Thomas has said that the Centre had no political agenda behind the Kuttanad package.

Speaking to reporters, Thomas said the Centre’s only interest was in implementation of the package. Projects submitted by the State were rejected because several norms were not adhered to.

A review of these and the entire package would be held with State and Central officials at New Delhi on June 24, he said.
Thomas said he wondered why Kerala was hesitant over Central projects when other States including Tamil Nadu and West Bengal had no problems in implementing them.

Informing that the Centre was ready to set up a mill and storage centre for Kuttanad farmers in Kuttanad if the State provided the required land, he said a discussion on the issues in the fisheries sector would be held in the chairmanship of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar at Bhubaneswar on July 4 and 5, inviting all State representatives.

Discussions would be held with the departments concerned on establishing a Passport Office in Alappuzha apart from a central dairy institute here, he said.