Problems aplenty for Anoop Jacob

MALAPPURAM: The problems waiting to be solved by various divisions of the Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies (MFCS) imply that there is no honeymoon period for the newly appointed minister, Anoop Jacob. The ration dealers’ token strike on Monday and the soaring prices of the hotel food are adding headache to the young minister in the state Cabinet.The sectors under MFCS believe that they were almost abandoned under the governance of Minister Shibu Baby John. The department had not got any major impetus for the past five-and-a-half months, after the death of former minister T M Jacob. The UDF had earlier decided not to allocate a complicated portfolio like MFCS to a fresher like Anoop Jacob under these circumstances.However, they had to yield to the pressures of Kerala Congress (J), finally. “The issues under MFCS cannot be handled by a fresher like Anoop Jacob. His response to the issue of non-allocation of kerosene proves his immaturity in dealing with such a crucial situation. He may have to face even harder situations in the future,” one of the office- bearers of the Kerala State Ration Dealers Association, a pro-UDF outfit, told Express.The intervention of Anoop’s party chairman, Johny Nelloor, in the kerosene issue invited sharp criticism from Shibu Baby John. It validates the reason why the UDF was reluctant to allocate Food and Civil Supplies portfolio to Anoop at the first stage of portfolio-allocation discussion. They thought that the minister’s inexperience might be misused by party workers in governance.The soaring price of hotel food is another cause for worry for the new minister.Though he can justify it as the centre’s policy, he will have to face the ire of people and hotel owners. Hotel owners will come strongly against the minister after their state meeting scheduled on April 22.