Kerala govt asks Centre to withdraw notification related to sale of ornamental fish

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Saturday asked Centre to withdraw its notification related to display and sale of ornamental fishes, holding that it would result in losing jobs to several lakh of people. This was one of the main demands in the memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The memorandum asked the Centre to convene a meeting of fisheries ministers of all states to discuss the matter connected with notification on ornamental fishes. [caption id=“attachment_3707261” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. PTI[/caption] It sought clearance for state’s various demands including setting up an All India Institute of Medical Science and an International Ayurveda Institute. Vijayan handed over the memorandum to Modi during a meeting held at Kochi after the inauguration of the Kochi Metro. The Kochi Metro second phase extension project with an estimated cost of Rs 2577 crore was now pending before the Union Rural Development Ministry, the memorandum said and sought early clearance for the same. It wanted an early sanction of Rs 636 crore arrears with regard to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Vijayan sought financial support from the Centre to enhance the production incentive being given to rubber cultivators to Rs 200 per kg from the present Rs 150 per kg, an official release said here today. State requested a one time financial help to a tune of Rs 500 crore for completing the National Rural Drinking Water project. With regard to AIIMS, the memorandum pointed out that state government had located 200 acres of land for the purpose at Kozhikode. The state asked Centre to go back from its plan to privatise public sector undertaking including HLL Ltd and help for the expansion of Kochi Special Economic Zone by including 200 acres of land more to the existing 100 acres. State sought fund for setting up a gas based Urea Plant at FACT at Kochi. Union Fertiliser Ministry has agreed to give 200 acres of land for Rs 1200 crore at FACT. Proposal was to set up a eight tonne capacity Plant and financial help of the Fertilisers Ministry was needed, the memorandum said. Meanwhile, Opposition leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala also submitted a memorandum seeking urgent clearance of arrears with regard to National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.