Kerala govt sanctions 148 Higher Secondary schools

A total of 148 panchayats in Kerala would soon get their first government higher secondary schools.
The state cabinet today decided to sanction the higher secondary schools in the Panchayats, where there were no such schools at present, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here.
He said Government-run schools would be given priority while sanctioning higher secondary courses, Chandy said.
Corporate management educational institutions would be considered only if government schools were not in a position to run high secondary courses, he said.
Private individual run schools would be considered only as the last option, he said.
Objective was to provide opportunity to pursue higher studies to all students who have passed SSLC examination, he said.

On other cabinet decisions, he said free electricity for those consuming less than 20 units would continue. Around 25,000 families would continue to get the benefit, he said.

An Ayurvedic unit will be started at Trivandrum Regional Cancer Centre, he said.
A total of 5.2 acres under Industries department will be handed over to Kalamassery Municipality to start Children's Science City in Kochi.
Another 6.64 hectares under KSIDC at Cherthala in Alappuzha district would be handed over to Cherthala District Industrial Centre to start a model village with activities like handloom, handicraft and coir village, he said.