13th plan should manifest people's vision for devpt: CM

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Along with growth, achieving broader social goals should be a challenge to be taken up by our planners, said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "There might be concerns that whether growth and social interests can move ahead simultaneously. We are sure that economic growth and social objectives can be taken up as parallel missions," he said while making the opening speech in the first meeting of the reconstituted planning board.
"Growth and development should be for larger good. It should ensure protection of environment and rights of women and children," he said.
Vijayan said the government was elected by the people for implementing the manifesto it had presented based on the slogan 'corruption free, secular and developed Kerala'. "The government has already started efforts to weed out corruption and uphold secular values of our society. These efforts have started to yield good results and will become an asset for Kerala's development," said the chief minister.
Vijayan said the people of Kerala are looking at the 13th five-year plan mooted by the state for achieving the 'developed Kerala' dream.
"Though the central government decided to do away with five-year plan, we have decided to carry it forward as the people of Kerala are not ready to surrender their fate to destiny or market. The people of Kerala have successfully controlled market forces through collective attempts and goodwill," said Vijayan.
He said the government didn't want to be in a collision course with the centre and there will be efforts to effectively implement existing projects sponsored by the Centre. "The decision of government is to ensure maximum benefit for the people from centrally sponsored schemes", he said.
The chief minister also asked the planning experts to show greater vigil in executing the projects than in planning them. "For bringing out flawless project, the planning board should listen to suggestions and criticism from the people. The involvement of public in framing policies is important," he said.
Ministers T M Thomas Isaac, E Chandrasekharan, Ramachandran Kadannappally, chief secretary S M Vijayanand, planning board vice-chairman V K Ramachandran, unofficial members K N Harilal, Mridul Eapen, Dr B Ekbal, T Jayaraman, R Ramkumar, K Ravi Raman, member secretary V S Senthil and additional chief secretary (finance) K M Abraham attended the first full board meeting of the reconstituted planning board.