Fishermen security, LWE figure in Southern Zonal Council meet

The 26th meeting of the Southern Zonal Council, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here on Saturday, decided to issue more biometric cards to fishermen for safety, urged railways to reconsider policy on sharing of costs, and discussed reimbursing the expenditure in certain areas affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE).

The meeting, presided over by Singh, was attended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara, Kerala Water Resources Minister P J Joseph, Telangana Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy, Puducherry Lt Governor Lt Gen (retd) A K Singh and officials.

Zonal Councils are a forum for the states and the Centre to discuss various issues. Southern Zonal Council includes Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Puducherry.

“Out of eight issues (pending from last meeting), we were able to sort out four. Tamil Nadu raised the issue of central funds under poverty alleviation for the new schemes... The Central Rural Development Ministry could clarify that the matter has been referred to a Group of Ministers,” said Naini Jayaseelan, Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs, after the meeting.

“The issues of security to fishermen are very, very important for the entire region. We decided to take it forward. More biometric cards are to be issued (to the fishermen),” she told reporters.

The whole coastal security issue was reviewed with Indian Coast Guard making a presentation, she said. The MHA would look into the state governments’ proposal that the Centre reimburse security-related expenditure in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas in the tri-junction of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Jayaseelan said.