Kerala CM Pinarayi urges trade unions to mend ways

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday denounced the unhealthy practices in the trade union sector. Of late high-handedness by trade union activists have resulted in the closure of several business enterprises. The chief minister lashed out at such practices while presenting the vision document on Kerala’s development at the CPM State Conference in Ernakulam on Wednesday.

"They know it is wrong. But despite knowing that it is wrong they have continued to do the same since ages. This is wrong and they should end such practices," he said while referring to the archaic practices like gawking charges (nookukooli) collected by labour unions.

The chief minister made his position clear on the unwanted practices in the trade union sector while speaking about public sector undertakings and investment atmosphere in the state during the presentation of the document.

Development document

This is likely first time the CPM is giving more importance to a development blueprint for Kerala than its own organisational report.

The presentation of the party's document on the state's future development path lasted for more than two hours. The chief minister began his presentation at 4 pm and by the time he concluded his speech it was 6 pm. Pinarayi concluded the presentation by asking the delegates to go through the document in detail and present their opinions during the course of discussion on the report.

The chief minister said though Kerala boasts about development in traditional sectors including cashew and coir, no qualitative changes are happening on this front. The neighbouring Tamil Nadu State is producing quality cashew nut. We need to ponder as to why we are lagging behind in this sector,” he said.

It is also the responsibility of the workers to sustain the public sector undertakings and it should not be taken as the Government's task alone, he added.

On higher education

The party policy document wanted universities and other higher education institutions to prepare development projects for five to 10 years.

The admission ratio in the higher education sector needs to be brought to 50 percent within five years. The level of the higher education sector should be raised to international standards. With public–private partnership (PPP), big institutions of higher education should be set up in the private sector too besidses in the government cooperative sector, the document proposed.

The standards of professional educational institutions need to be enhanced in Kerala. Besides, the policy document called for linking the manufacturing sector with the higher education sector.