'ASEAN pact signed without taking Parliament into confidence'

The Indo-Asean free trade agreement was signed without taking Parliament into confidence, LDF Convener Vaikom Viswam today alleged.

The agreement would adversly affect farmers in Kerala. 'We will not be able to compete with the 10 Asean nations', Viswam told reporters at a meet-the-press programme here.

The Nuclear agreement was also signed without taking Parliament into confidence, he charged.

Centre was disinvesting its stake in PSUs and banking sector and this would do more harm than good, he said. 'Effort is being made to merge PSU banks with private and foreign banks,' he said.

'Due to the steps initiated by the LDF government in the agricultural sector, farmers' suicides has decreased, sick units have been revived and stimulus package announced by government.Efforts are also on to bring in more investments to the state.The Public Distribution system has been strengthened.