Kochi, January 16: The 20th birthday of the Coconut development Board went unnoticed thanks to the absence of a full time chairman for the autonomous body constituted way back in January 12 , 1988 under an act of the Parliament. The CDB was constituted under the Coconut Development Board Act, 1979, which was enacted by the Parliament in 1981 to promote the development of coconut and allied products in the country. However, the affairs in the coconut development Board had been at a low key since a year, thanks to the absence of a full time chairmam.Under the Act, "the chairman will be appointed by the Government of India from amongst persons having knowledge and experience of coconut production, development and processing". However, since September 3, 1998 when the then chairman retired, the successive Horticultural Commissioners have been given the additional charge as the chairman of the CDB.
The present incumbent has been officiating in the post for almost one year. To top it all, more than 8 out ofthe 24 member director board have been lying vacant for quite some time. The absence of a full-time chairman for the Board had affected the mandatory work of the Board adversely. The recent decision by the Board chairman to wind up the exclusive Kerala section had created a flutter among the Board officials, sources said.
It is pointed out that out of the Rs 20 crore annual budget for the Board over Rs 10 crore has been spent to meet administrative expenses, leaving many of the Board's development work high and dry.
The setting up of plush offices in some non-coconut growing areas had also created a flutter among the Board officials, sources alleged.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.