Thiruvananthapuram 16-02-2012: The Government will approach the Centre seeking permission to make necessary changes in the criteria prescribed in Centrally Sponsored Schemes for successfully implementing it in the state.  The decision regarding this was taken in the meeting of MPs’ convened by CM prior to the budget session in Parliament.

The criteria of Prime Minister’s Grammen Sadak Yojana and Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGREGS) are to be amended at the earliest.

Minister K C Joseph said that Centre would be urged to include Pisiculture, Coir, Milk Production, Waste Treatment and Agriculture in MGREGS. The Employment Guarantee Scheme should ensure work in agriculture sector round the year. Kerala would demand a separate package for Gremeen Sadak Yojana from the Centre, said K C Joseph.

It has been decided to urge the centre to start the train services announced in the previous budget. CM detailed the projects submitted by the state and requested the cooperation of MPs for getting the schemes.

Ministers KM Mani, Aryadan Muhammad, P K Kunhalikutty, K P Mohanan, A P Anil Kumar, Shibu Baby John, V S Sivakumar, K B Ganesh Kumar, K Babu, MPs M B Rajesh, T N Seema, M P Achuthan, M K Raghavan, KE Esmayil, E T Muhammad Basheer, A Sampath, M A Shanavas, K P Dhanapalan, Charles Dyas, N Peethambarakurup, Sasi Tharoor and other officials participated.