Sometimes people may be met in secret: Kerala CM on meeting investors in Kochi

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday again declined to disclose details of the investors he claims to have met recently in Kochi when he travelled there by helicopter, saying “sometimes people may be met in secret”. Satheesan, at a press conference here after a cabinet meeting chaired by him, said, “Sometimes people may be met in secret and sometimes openly. Sometimes they come here to meet the CM”. “As I was going to be in Ernakulam on that day, I decided to meet them (investors) there.” He further said that he has nothing more to say on the issue as he had already clarified everything regarding it in the last press conference. “You (media) only want to create controversies on such small issues when the state is facing a serious (flood) situation,” he contended. In response to reporters’ queries regarding state Transport Minister C P John’s remarks on the Priyadarshini scheme a couple of days ago, the CM said that John has already clarified his stand and expressed regret over his remarks. Therefore, there was no need to create a controversy over it, he said. The minister, two days ago at a private bus owners event, had said that women who use the state’s free Priyadarshini bus travel scheme and government hospitals prefer to educate their children in private schools, triggering a political row in the state. Regarding the recent fishermen deaths and some of them still missing after their boats capsized at Muthalapozhi, the CM said there will be an urgent decision on the problems plaguing that area, for which a meeting is scheduled next week. He said that the things to be done in the short term will be done within the week and arrangements will be made for the long-term interventions to be carried out in the area. “It is being considered on a priority basis by the government,” he added. Muthalapozhi fishing harbour area has witnessed more than 85 fishermen’s deaths over the years due to sand accumulation at the estuary that leads to fatal boat accidents. When reporters raised the issue of the missing fishermen’s families expressing dissatisfaction with the search operations, the CM said marine enforcement and the Coast Guard were looking for them. He said that a Coast Guard vessel and a naval helicopter were used in the search operations. Besides that, the search was expanded to the Colachel area of Tamil Nadu, and small aircraft and helicopters of the Coast Guard are looking for the fishermen, missing for six days now, from the air. “Unfortunately, we have not been able to find them; the family is heartbroken. We know that,” he said. The CM also told reporters that the issue of Vizhinjam seaport share transfer was being examined by a high-powered committee, which will give its report. He also said that the share transfer also requires central government approval in view of its strategic and security importance. “We will examine everything and ensure interests of the state are not harmed. There is no urgency,” he said. On the issue of the Centre scrapping the Kanjikode coach factory project, the CM said that the central government had informed the state about it in 2022 itself. “They had said that their needs are being met by the existing coach factories and they do not intend to set up a new one,” he said. Regarding IPS officer S Sreejith being promoted to the rank of DGP and the Kerala High Court criticising the decision, Satheesan said that there was a vacancy before the government and it could not deny promotion to the officer merely because a vigilance case may come against him. The High Court can decide that, he added. The CM also said that the government has decided to grant the first instalment of the development fund for local self-government institutions for the 2026–27 financial year amounting to Rs 2,029 crore. “In addition, municipalities will receive Rs 136 crore and corporations Rs 188 crore towards spillover projects from the previous financial year, as the previous government had not released the third instalment,” he said. “To address the imbalance in the 16th Finance Commission’s urban and rural grants, which created financial difficulties for urban local bodies, the government will provide an additional Rs 312 crore to municipalities and corporations,” he said. The CM further said that a total of Rs 44 crore has been sanctioned towards the wages of school midday meal cooks and the enhanced amount will be credited to their bank accounts within two days. He also said that retired Justice C N Ramachandran Nair has been appointed Chairperson of the Kerala Police Complaints Authority.