Kerala Govt initiates austerity measures

With state's financial situation coming under strain, Kerala Cabinet today decided to initiate certain austerity measures without causing difficulty to the commonman.
There would be a cut in non-plan expenditure, but it would not in anyway affect the commonman, Chief Minister Ommen Chandy told reporters after the cabinet meeting here.
Clear-cut guidelines would be issued on spending the plan expenditures, he said adding 'effort would be made to increase the non-tax revenue'.
He also said the World Economic Forum's 29th meeting in the country and the first in South India, scheduled to be held in Kochi, next month has been cancelled in view of the assembly elections to be held in five states around that time.

The meet was scheduled to be held on November 8 and 9 had planned to bring around 150 participants together in private sessions to explore how to improve the nexus between regional and national policy-making and policy implementation, with a view to optimising India's economic development.
The Summit Forum has informed the government that due to elections in five states in the country, focus would be on the polls and hence the scheduled meeting at Kochi has been cancelled, he said.

'Government had looked forward with great expectations as the meet would have been an occasion for the state to project itself as a best investment destination before the world leaders, he said.

Cabinet also approved to give 10 acres of land at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology campus at Kottayam for setting up the Srinivasa Ramanujam Institute of Basic Sciences.
An amount of Rs.3.40 crore has been sanctioned for the construction of a building to start a 'mess' for police personnel at Sabarimala Sannidhanam and Pamba, the foot-hills of Sabrimala, who are deputed on special duty during the annual festival season at the famous hill-shrine of Lord Ayyappa, he said.