'STATE CANNOT BRING DOWN TAXES ON FUEL' - FM

          (Industrial unit in China)

Petrol and diesel prices have  become beyond the pockets of middle class people. Cooking gas  has already crossed all affordable price limit. The state finance minister is reported to have said that the price of any of these will not be slashed in Kerala. In other words, the government will keep squeezing the people. What a state of affairs in a state where plenty of resources are available to supplement the revenue after making some tax concessions for the people. The state government, it seems, have become adamant, that they will not open up any new resources for bringing in more money to the exchequer but solely depend on taxes only. The state government is hereby earnestly requested to consider the following suggestions.

The first and foremost commandment in finance management is to ward off all avoidable expenses. Heavily slash the travelling expenses of all government officials including the ministers. Impose a 30% cut on fuel expenses of all government vehicles. Bring down the number of government employees as much as posgsible. Suspend fresh appointment for a minimum period of three years. Replace the secretarial staff of ministers with government staff. Ensure considerable improvement of productive and service units owned by government. Stop taking loans as far as possible. Arrange for collection of all taxes and duties over due for long.

Then come to the forefront to enhance the income as much as possible. Set a target of Rs two lakhs crores annually from tourism. Government need not make much of an investment for this. Bring in more and more people to the tourism sector. If properly organised it would be an achievable target (If necessary a detailed report shall be submitted to the government).

Another important step needed is for the industrial development of the state. Let us first overcome rather rewrite the conventional thought that Kerala is in dearth of land and infrastructure for bringing in industries here. As a first step, set a target of 5,000 SMEs within a time limit of six months. Preferably all these should be EOUs (In this case also if the government needs, a working report shall be submitted). If the government is willing to concentrate on development of the state, in a short span of time we can have our own electricity generated within the state. It can also be assured that the entire work force of the state can be deployed within a few years. Further to all these the government should make all honest efforts to eradicate corruption from the state from all levels of the government machinery.

Let us also do away with all protests, strikes, processions, banner writings, public speaches etc and work together ignoring all political differences for the development of the state of Kerala into the level of developed nations.

K V George