Kerala to withdraw load-shedding from next week

With slight improvement in the power situation, the 45-minute load-shedding imposed for all categories of consumers would be withdrawn by July 27, state power minister, Arayadan Mohammed said today.

Winding up the discussion in the Assembly on the demands for grants to the power sector, he said the state received rains, which also increased inflow into hydel reservoirs, in the past few days.

Power would be bought if necessary at higher rates from the thermal power station of NTPC at Kayamkulam to fill the shortage, he said. Power shortage was mainly due to fall in monsoon rain and shut down of the Sabarigiri plant for annual maintenance, he pointed out.

Stating that the Kerala State Electricity Board had initiated several schemes to improve the power transmission and distribution, he said under the Kerala Power Improvement Scheme, the objective was to bring down transmission to 15 per cent.

Chandy calls for roll back of rail fare hike
Chief minister Oommen Chandy today asked the Centre to roll back railway passenger fare and freight rate hikes as it would lead to rise in prices of essential commodities.

Speaking in the Assembly on a notice seeking an adjournment motion moved by CPI-M led LDF opposition, he said it was the responsibility of the government to understand the difficulties of the people, and added, the "fare hike should have been avoided".

He said there was a move to weaken the public distribution system and details in this regard would be revealed later.

Replying to the notice for motion moved by Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M), food minister Anoop Jacob said the government was considering a proposal to increase the quantity of food items supplied on subsidies rates.