CM convenes MPs’ meeting ahead of Parliament session
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Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Thursday said the state has some objections to certain provisions in the Centre's Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016.
Addressing a meeting of MPs from the state, convened ahead of the the monsoon session of parliament beginning on July 17, Vijayan asked them to take up the issue along with other matters, including financial assistance, for ensuring rubbers price stability.
Vijayan said if the bill comes into force, it would be difficult for the state to run its bus services.
The bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha, has to be approved by the Upper House.
On other issues, he said the Centre should provide financial assistance to the state for expanding paddy cultivation and increase the quota of rice and wheat under the public distribution system (PDS) as the state wholly depended on it.
Vijayan said the 14.25 lakh tonne of foodgrains allotted to the state under the National Food Security Act was inadequate to meet the demand and the centre should increase its quota by six lakh tonnes.
Vijayan said MPs should strongly resist the move of the Centre to privatise some state based public sector undertakings such as HLL Life Care, Hindustan Newsprint and Hindustan Organic Chemicals Ltd.
He wanted MPs to exert pressure on the Centre to protect the interest of consumers in the wake of hike in price of commodities following the GST implementation.
The tendency of airline companies to hike the flight charges from the state to the Gulf region during festival and holiday seasons has to be taken up with the Centre, he added.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurian, state ministers A K Balan, E Chandrasekharan, T P Ramakrishnan and G Sudhakaran were among those who attended the meeting.
