THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state is keen to plug the gaps in various spheres and reorient the growth trajectory through a consensus, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said. And in the initiative driven by a concerted approach on the 12th Five Year Plan proposals, skill development through short-term measures and addressing second generation issues in the once-hailed Kerala model of health and education will be given thrust, he added. In an interface with media representatives on the draft outlines of the Five Year Plan here on Wednesday, Oommen Chandy said that the state cannot lag behind anymore when the country is poised for a quantum leap in economic growth and job opportunities. ‘’Unemployment among unskilled workers is a thing of the past for the state. But for the educated lot, a gap is felt in getting employment. Against this backdrop, a mechanism for skill development and easy access to jobs is being thought of,’’ he told mediapersons. ‘’The government wants to create maximum number of jobs,’’ he said. Outlining the discussions, Rural Development Minister K C Joseph insisted that the government wanted to avoid controversies and would like to go by consensus to ensure a new direction for growth and development. The discussions threw up many a crisis and concern in sectors such as agriculture, higher education and self-financing education sectors, apart from emerging areas like geriatric care, gender equality-driven development process and the vexed garbage management issue. Though serious apprehension was raised by Benoy Viswam, former Minister and editor of Janayugam daily, on suspected attempts to derail the land reforms implemented in the state, the Chief Minister intervened and reminded that trade unions, irrespective of their affiliations, had been pleading it for long. Finance Minister K M Mani said that there would be no deviation from the existing laws but what was being attempted was a judicious diversification of activities within the plantations for more viability. The Minister also said that the Assembly had already given its nod for earmarking five per cent of the land in the plantation sector for other purposes, including floriculture and tourism promotion. Modernising agriculture and infusing developed skills and fresh expertise to accelerate the process is what is aimed, Mani said. Rising consumption of liquor in the state was another key area of concern in the discussions, as it was pointed out that the state was passing through an ironic phase wherein Re one per kg rice is being given to the targetted groups on the one hand while huge amount is being spent on purchasing liquor, even by the same group, on the other. The greying population is also staring at the state as never before, it was pointed out. Responding to the suggestions, Planning Board vice-chairman K M Chandrasekhar and member C P John said that the valuable inputs would be taken into account, along with many such suggestions already mooted in similar discussions with various stake-holders and much more expected from meets planned in the coming days. Planning Board member G Vijayaraghavan was also present.
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