Kerala

LDF pledges ₹3,000 pension; jobs, growth push in Kerala poll manifesto

Kerala's ruling LDF on Thursday unveiled its Assembly election manifesto, promising a mix of welfare and development measures aimed at improving people's lives across the state. The document was released by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here. The highlights of the manifesto include a commitment to eliminate absolute poverty in the state, a hike in welfare pensions to Rs 3,000 per month, and efforts to ensure proper healthcare and support systems at the local level. The Left government had recently announced that extreme poverty had been eliminated in the state and increased the welfare pension from Rs 1600 to Rs 2000. In its current manifesto, the CPI(M)-led LDF says it plans to identify around five lakh of the poorest families and help them rise above poverty through targeted support. Special focus will be given to vulnerable groups such as the Scheduled Castes, fisherfolk, and Antyodaya beneficiaries. The LDF has also promised better care for the elderly and bedridden ...

Congress-led UDF releases manifesto for Kerala Assembly elections

The Congress-led UDF on Thursday released its manifesto for April 9 Assembly polls in Kerala, promising free travel for women on all Kerala state transport buses, hike in welfare pension to Rs 3,000 per month and a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to college-going girl students. Giving details of the manifesto, Congress leader V D Satheesan said that Rs 25 lakh insurance scheme will be provided to every family in Kerala, and small businesses will get an interest-free loan of Rs 5 lakh. The manifesto also promises development of the airline sector in the state, revision of wages of scheme workers, like ASHA and Anganwadi workers, financial assistance to MSMEs having turnover of Rs 100 crore, and a tribal university in Wayanad.

Rare earth corridors will reduce import dependence: Jitendra Singh

The dedicated rare earth corridors proposed in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu aim to reduce import dependence and enhance domestic capability in the strategic sector, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said the corridors would focus on mining, processing, research, and manufacturing and help align these initiatives with national priorities, such as becoming self-reliant and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. "India's import reliance on key minerals used for the production of items in strategic sectors such as electronics, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and defence manufacturing can be regulated through the RE corridor by boosting local sourcing enhancing strategic self-reliance," Singh said. The minister also stated that a joint working group (JWG) consisting of members representing all stakeholders had been constituted for formulation of guidelines (SOP) to establish dedicated rare ..

BJP's Kerala manifesto promises welfare boost, AIIMS, high-speed rail

Free water, LPG cylinders, ₹2,500 monthly support for needy women among key pledges

HDFC Bank chairman's sudden exit exposes leadership rifts at top lender

HDFC Bank management and India's banking regulator denied any governance or financial problems at the lender, but its stock fell 12 per cent over three days after Chakraborty's exit

Keralam CM writes to PM Modi expressing concerns over FCRA Amendment Bill

Chief Minister pointed out that the existing FCRA, 2010, is sufficient to address any actions that go against public interest

Two EC officials relieved of poll duties over BJP seal issue in Kerala

Kerala Chief Electoral Officer Rathan U Kelkar on Saturday sent the Deputy CEO and a section officer back to their parent departments over an EC document sent to political parties that bore a BJP seal. The decision was taken following an inquiry into the incident conducted by Additional CEO P B Nooh, IAS, a statement from EC said. Based on the inquiry report, the Deputy Chief Electoral Officer and the section officer were relieved of their election-related duties and sent back to their parent departments, the statement added. The controversy surfaced after the CPI(M) flagged the issue on the social media platform 'X', sharing an affidavit attached to a March 19, 2019, letter sent to political parties that bore the BJP Kerala seal instead of the Election Commission's official seal. The EC had termed it a "purely clerical error" and said it had been rectified immediately. It also said that the official responsible for the error had been placed under suspension.

Kerala did not avail ₹311 cr national disaster mitigation fund: Sitharaman

Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday told the Lok Sabha that approval for central grants is one thing and applying for the amount by the states is another thing as she mentioned that Kerala did not avail Rs 311.95 crore as part of national disaster mitigation fund. The minister was responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour on the arrears of grants and amounts pending from the central government towards Kerala. Sitharaman, who is in charge of the finance and corporate affairs ministries, said a state has to provide the utilisation certificate so that the next round of funds can be released. For instance, she said there was a specific case related to Kerala where despite the allocation, the Kerala government has not even drawn the amount. An amount of Rs 311.95 for the National Disaster Mitigation Fund that includes Rs 72 crore for risk mitigation project in the landslide-affected territories of Wayanad. Another Rs 17.73 crore was approved for forest fire mitigat

Three poles in poll fray: Kerala boasts literacy, low poverty, but not jobs

Kerala heads into a three-cornered electoral contest amid strong social indicators, fiscal stress, and a persistent jobs crisis

Kerala approaches Centre to verify reports of native's death in Israel

The Kerala government has approached the Centre seeking the authenticity of reports regarding the death of a man from the state in the war-hit region of Israel. When contacted, the NORKA officials told PTI on Saturday that they received the information from a collective of Keralites working in Israel and therefore approached the Centre to confirm it. NORKA is a state-run agency that oversees matters related to non-resident Keralites. According to local media reports, the deceased man was a Thiruvananthapuram native and his cause of death was yet to be ascertained. A member of a WhatsApp group of Keralites working in Israel, told PTI that they got the information about the death on Wednesday and they are also trying to collect further details.

Kerala Assembly polls: LDF Ministers, Cong, BJP leaders file nominations

Kerala state ministers, top Congress and BJP leaders filed their nomination papers on Saturday for the upcoming Assembly polls. Several state ministers, including P Rajeev, V Sivankutty, R Bindu and P A Mohamed Riyas as well as CPI(M) leaders K K Shylaja and Kadakampally Surendran were those from the LDF who filed their nominations, from Kalamassery, Nemom, Irinjalakuda, Beypore, Peravur and Kazhakootam constituencies, respectively. BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Nemom), former Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan (Kazhakootam) and several other candidates of the saffron party filed their nominations accompanied by chief ministers from party-ruled states like Rajasthan and Gujarat. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma accompanied Chandrasekhar and Muraleedharan when they filed their nominations, while the party candidate from Thrissur, Padmaja Venugopal, was accompanied by Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel. From the Congress, KPCC chief Sunny Joseph, senior party leader

Kerala CM accuses Congress, Rahul of being BJP's B-team ahead of polls

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday hit out against the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of being the B-team of the BJP. Vijayan made the accusation during an interview given to PTI videos. In response to a query regarding Rahul's recent remark that central agencies have arrested or called for questioning other opposition leaders in the country, except the Kerala CM, the Marxist veteran accused the Congress leader and his party of acting as the B-team of the BJP. He also accused the Congress of appeasement politics and seeking the support of groups engaged in majority and minority communalism. The CPI(M)-led LDF is against any form of communalism and does not seek the support of any group engaged in communal activities, the CM said. Regarding the Sabarimala gold loss issue, Vijayan said that the investigation of the matter was being monitored by the Kerala High Court, which has not found fault with the probe, irrespective of the claims to the cont

People of Kerala ready for change: Rahul Gandhi pitches for UDF govt

People of Kerala are ready for change, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday, as he pitched for a UDF government in the state. "Team UDF is Team Keralam," he said in a post on X. "Each candidate reflects the voice, the aspirations and the trust of the people of Keralam. This is a collective of experienced leaders and young change-makers - a strong team of men and women who understand the intricacies of the constituencies they represent," Gandhi said in his post. "For me, Keralam is home and the people of Keralam are family. I owe a great debt to the people for everything they have taught me and for the love and warmth they have embraced me with - I will always be your partner," the former Wayanad MP said. "The message from Keralam is clear - the people are ready for change, they seek a government that listens, understands, and delivers with honesty. "Along with the coming UDF government, I will do everything to help build a better future for this beautiful state," the leader

As Kerala heads to polls, fishermen say manifestos will decide their vote

Ahead of the April 9 Assembly elections in Kerala, a familiar refrain echoes through its coastal villages-- "Whoever forms the government, we will continue to live the same life, struggling in the sea." The sentiment underlines a sense of neglect among fishermen who believe political parties have largely overlooked their demands. The fishermen in Kerala, the majority of whom belong to the Latin Catholic community (about 20 lakh in number), do not function as a unified vote bank, but the Church does influence their political decisions. "The Latin fishermen community in Kerala will wait for political parties' manifestos before deciding whom to vote for," Vicar General of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese, Fr Eugene Pereira, told PTI Videos. He said the community has discussed its concerns and demands with all political parties. "We hope that our demands and issues will be included in the political parties' manifestos for this election," he added. Many say the government ...

W Asia tensions cast uncertainty over 'vote flights' for Keralites in Gulf

As the April 9 Kerala Assembly polls approach, anxiety is growing among Gulf-based Keralite voters who are unsure if they will be able to return home to cast their votes this time. The concern is driven mainly by the ongoing tensions in West Asia involving Iran and IsraelUS allies, which have severely disrupted air travel. Thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed, and several countries have partially or fully closed their airspace, affecting major Gulf aviation hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. With limited flight services, frequent cancellations and rising ticket prices, expatriate voters fear that the usual "vote flight" arrangements may not be feasible this time. For years, organisations like the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the overseas wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), have played a key role in helping expatriates participate in elections. During the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, hundreds of Keralites working in Gulf countries managed to return hom

Centre discusses rare-earth corridor sites in Andhra, Odisha and Kerala

Centre discusses SOP for monazite handling, private participation as corridor plans move ahead

BJP releases first list of 47 candidates for Kerala Assembly polls

Union Minister George Kurian and former Union ministers Rajeev Chandrasekhar and V Muraleedharan are among the 47 candidates announced by the BJP in its first list for the Kerala Assembly elections. Fielding a mix of senior leaders and new faces as it prepares for the April 9 polls, the party is hoping to end its electoral drought in the state, where politics has traditionally been dominated by the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF. Among the prominent names in the list are Kurian, Chandrasekhar and Muraleedharan, along with senior leaders K Surendran, Sobha Surendran, P C George, Padmaja Venugopal, P K Krishnadas, former director general of police R Sreelekha and filmmaker Major Ravi. Chandrasekhar will contest from the Nemom Assembly constituency, while Muraleedharan has been fielded from Kazhakkoottam, both key constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram district. Nemom is the only constituency in Kerala that has so far been won by the BJP, when O Rajagopal won the seat in the 20

Dubai-based Solstice Data signs ₹52,600 cr MoU for investment in Kerala

Dubai-based Solstice Data has officially entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a massive investment project at an outlay of Rs 52,600 crore at the KINFRA Industrial Park in Mattannur in Kannur district. As part of the landmark agreement, 100 acres of land within the park will be allocated to the company to facilitate the development of its facilities, according to an official statement on Sunday. The MoU was formally exchanged in Thiruvananthapuram between Raj Babu Thulaseedharan, Country Head (India) of Solstice Data, and Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Managing Director of KINFRA, it said. The ceremony took place in the presence of Industries Minister P Rajeev and Director of Industries P Vishnuraj on Saturday. Solstice Data is a global leader in designing, developing, and operating advanced AI-driven High-Performance Computing (HPC) data centers. Beyond its headquarters in Dubai, the company manages over sixty data center projects across various international locati

Kerala seeks easing of curbs on commercial LPG supply amid shortage

In view of the cooking gas shortage caused by the conflict in West Asia, the Kerala government on Saturday said it has asked the public sector oil companies to provide necessary relaxations in the restrictions on supply of LPG cylinders for commercial purposes. The request in this regard was also forwarded to Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri by state Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, a government statement said. It said that the oil companies -- IOCL, BPCL and HPCL -- have informed that they will favourably consider the government's request to distribute cylinders for commercial purposes by giving preference to the priority sectors of old age homes, hospitals, orphanages, schools, public or 'subhiksha' hotels, school and college hostels, hotels adjacent to hostels, guest houses and canteens in government and public sector office campuses. A list of the priority areas and institutions for this purpose will be approved by the Department of Public ...

LPG crisis sparks migrant worker exodus from Kerala ahead of Ramzan, polls

The ongoing LPG crisis, which has led to the mass closure of restaurants and hotels across Kerala, has triggered an exodus of migrant workers returning to their native places, as Ramzan approaches and elections are to be held in West Bengal and Assam. Restaurant and hotel operators are trying to retain their staff from other states, fearing that if migrant workers leave now, they may not return until after the election. G Jayapal, state president of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA), told PTI that migrant workers from West Bengal and Assam were expected to return home a week before the elections in their respective states. "However, with the LPG crisis forcing hotels and restaurants to shut down, migrant workers will start returning to their native places early. They will return only after the elections. Also, Ramzan will be celebrated next week, and people who were working in restaurants will start returning to their states due to the lack of jobs here," he ...