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CM Pinarayi seeks MPs' support for wildlife bill approval, union fund disbursement

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move to facilitate effective centre-state interactions, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged the MPs from the state to intervene for the President's nod in the Wildlife Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill. This permission is instrumental as the bill passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly simplifies the major obstructions in the 11th section of the Wildlife Protection Law 1972. In an online meeting convened on Thursday, the CM also asked the parliamentarians to stress for the disbursement of the central share to be provided to the victims of the human-animal conflict. The meeting was also attended by the state ministers and other officers concerned. Seeking the MP's intervention to reinstate the sum of 6,757 crores and 3,323 crores, which were cut from the state's borrowing limits in the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26, respectively, Pinarayi reiterated the stand to increase a state's borrowing limit to 3.5%. Pointing out that the centre only provided 260.56 crores for the Meppadi-Chooralmala rehabilitation against the sought support of 2,221.03 crores, Pinarayi also asked the parliamentarians to help the state avail its deserving share. Urging that the central government should increase their share in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) 2.0, the CM also asked the MPs to intervene to avoid the display of PMAY boards before them. Making an attempt to reduce the duration of the Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargode rail journey, the CM urged to initiate the third and fourth line survey in the Thiruvananthapuram-Mangalore section, along with the deployment of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail here. Other key projects, including AIIMS, Attappady Irrigation Project, and the rail projects in the Angamaly-Sabari, Thalassery-Mysore, and Nilambur-Nanjangud routes, should also be highlighted before the union government, the CM stressed. He also mentioned that the point of call for foreign airlines to begin services from the Kannur Airport had not yet been provided, despite repeated requests. The CM also asked the MPs to raise questions in the parliament regarding the central nod for the Kochi Global City (Node 2) as part of the Kochi-Bangalore Industrial Corridor. Seeking interventions to exempt all Khadi products from GST, the CM also said that kerosene must be availed at subsidised rates for fishing requirements. He further noted that the Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Operating Right Rules 2025 were notified without consulting the opinion of states, as part of which a letter was already sent to the Prime Minister. Disbursement of other funds, including GST loss compensation and a 1000 crore package for foreign returnees, was also discussed in the meeting.