Ker Govt to increase pension of erstwhile royals

The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala today decided to increase the pension of erstwhile royal rulers, who ruled various princely states during the per-independence era.
A cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, took the decision to unify their family and political pension amount and increase it to Rs 3,000, an official statement said here.
Besides the rulers, their family members are also eligible for the pension, it said.
The cabinet also decided to assign 3.24 hectares of land on lease to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to set up a skill development institute at Ettumanur.
The land, now in the hands of the local Industrial Training Institute, would be given to BPCL for a period of 30 years.

"The project of BPCL was considered as the institute would help equip thousands of youths in the state to get jobs," the release said.
An Information Technology Cell would be established in the state Industries Department.
The cabinet also decided in principle to open six new police stations,including one at Mattannur in Kannur district, where a new international airport is coming up, the statement added.