By IANS
New Delhi : An all-party delegation from Kerala Wednesday sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assistance to meet the calamity caused in the state by the southwest monsoon and his intervention to solve a dispute with its neighbouring Tamil Nadu over the division of a railway zone.
The delegation led by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan asked the central government to release an immediate fund of Rs.1 billion for the state where torrential rains and heavy winds have caused huge losses to human life in nine coastal districts and a damaged properties of almost Rs.10 billion.
"We have also reminded the prime minister that no substantial assistance was received from the central government despite huge damages suffered by the state in the last two years," Achuthanandan told reporters after the meeting.
The delegation included Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy apart from leaders of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
The delegation, which also had some of the MPs from the state, urged Manmohan Singh to take initiative to hold a meeting of the chief ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the presence of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad to sort out the differences between the two states over the formation of the Salem railway division bifurcating the Palghat division.
Alleging that Minister of State for Railways R. Velu had been maintaining a partisan stance neglecting the interests of Kerala, Achuthanandan said: "It was promised on the floor of the house (in parliament) that the new division would be formed only after discussing the matter with the chief ministers. However, the railway ministry is going ahead with its moves.
"We want the railway ministry to keep the formation of the Salem division in abeyance till the meeting is held," the chief minister said.
Kerala argues that the creation of the Salem division would weaken the existing Palghat division based in Kerala.