Governor RS Gavai blamed hoarders and speculators for inflation and introduced a number of schemes intended to boost production and improve the distribution systems.
Blaming the Centre for the current inflationery trend in the country, Kerala Governor R S Gavai today said the manipulation of export policies by the hoarders and speculators was the main cause for price rise of food grains.
Delivering his address on the opening day of the budget session, the last of the 12the Kerala Legislative Assembly, in view of state elections due in May, Gavai also unveiled the CPI-M led LDF governemnt's package with a total outlay of Rs 337 crores to strengthen the Public Distribution ystem of the state.
Touching upon the national situation, Gavai expressed concern over the growth of extremist forces, the maoists and communal terrorists in the country and said certain recent developments have revealed the links of extremists to communal outfits in the state.
Another major challenge was the corruption prevalent in all branches of state machinery which had been revealed by the recent graft issues on 2G spectrum sales, land scams and enormous black money part in foreign bank accounts, Gavai pointed out.
Besides a scheme to widen the Public Distribution System, the LDF governmet plans to introduce 'Ari Sree,' a program to increase rice production and a scheme for vegetable cultivation by providing assistance to 10 lakh families.
Meanwhile, the Congress-led UDF Opposition termed the Governor's address as lacklustre and said it was a routine one. The LDF government forced the Governor to 'lie' through his address, Opposition leader Oommen Chandy said.
The government that did not do anything for the people in the past five years has come out with programmes when only one month is left for the election notification, he said.
"We consider the governor's address as an election manifesto of the LDF," Chandy said.
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