Kerala

Union Cabinet likely to approve change of name of Kerala to Keralam

The Union Cabinet is understood to have approved on Tuesday the Kerala government's proposal to change the name of the state to Keralam, sources privy to the development said. The move came ahead of the Kerala assembly elections expected to be held in April-May. The Kerala Assembly on June 24, 2024, had unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to officially change the state's name to Keralam. Following the assembly resolution, the Union cabinet, in a meeting held on Tuesday, is believed to have approved the state's name change from Kerala to Keralam, sources said. It was the first cabinet meeting held at the recently inaugurated Seva Teerth, the new PMO building. The Kerala Assembly had passed the resolution for the second time because the Ministry of Home Affairs, which reviewed the first resolution, suggested some technical changes. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had moved the resolution, wanted the union government to change the southern state's name fr

Kerala govt sets up 12th Pay Revision Commission for state employees

The Kerala government on Monday set up the 12th Pay Revision Commission to study the revision of salaries of state government employees. State Finance Minister K N Balagopal said former Chief Secretary V P Joy has been appointed as the chairman of the commission. The other members are advocate M Rajagopalan Nair and retired Additional Secretary Sreelatha Sukumaran. V R Sobha, Additional Secretary in the Finance Department, will serve as the commission's secretary, Balagopal said in a statement here. The decision follows an announcement made in the state budget to appoint a new pay revision commission for government employees. Balagopal said the commission has been asked to submit its report within three months. He added that the government will ensure the process is completed on time. A separate government order outlining the terms of reference of the commission will be issued soon, the minister said.

Kerala signs MoUs with central PSUs for ₹2,000 cr Vizhinjam logistics plan

The Kerala government on Monday signed memoranda of understanding with three central public sector companies to roll out a Rs 2,000 crore logistics master plan at the Vizhinjam International Seaport, in a move aimed at reshaping the state's maritime sector. The agreements were executed on Monday in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the Legislative Assembly Building, a CMO release said here. This initiative marks a strategic shift to transform the port into a comprehensive economic development hub, ensuring that critical infrastructure remains under public sector oversight even as the port operates on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The partnership involves the state-owned Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) and three central giants-- IOCL, CONCOR, and CWC, the release said. By integrating these entities, the government aims to prevent monopolisation in cargo handling, guarantee fair pricing for traders, and safeguard national maritime ...

How 9 states and UTs have fared after SIR culling: A reading of key figures

Final electoral rolls show sharp voter deletions across states, with Gujarat seeing the biggest cut and Kerala the lowest after the Special Intensive Revision

Kerala final electoral roll out following SIR; voter count at 26.9 million

The ECI on Saturday published the final electoral roll in Kerala after the SIR exercise, with the total number of voters in the state standing over 2.69 crore. The Election Commission of India (ECI) shared a link - http://electoralsearch.eci.gov.in - that enables the public to check their names on the updated list. According to data released by the ECI at a press meet here on Friday, the fresh electoral roll has 2,69,53,644 voters, compared to 2,78,50,855 prior to the commencement of the SIR in October last year. As many as 8,97,211 voters have been removed following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, the ECI said. In the revised list, the total number of male voters is 1,31,26,048, female voters 1,38,27,319, and transgender voters - 277, officials said. The number of overseas voters in the updated roll is 2,23,558, while service voters stand at 54,110. ECI officials said that 36.88 lakh voters were issued notices for hearing as part of the SIR proceedings, and 53,229

Weather today: Heavy rain likely over South India; mercury to rise in North

IMD forecasts heavy rain over Kerala and Tamil Nadu on February 21 and 22, thunderstorms in several states and a gradual rise in maximum temperatures across northwest and central India

Kerala's youngest organ donor, 10-month-old Aalin, to receive state honours

Kerala's youngest organ donor, a 10-month-old girl who gave a new lease of life to five children, will be accorded a farewell with state honours, the government said on Saturday, a day after she was declared brain dead and donated her vital organs. Aalin Sherin Abraham, who was critically injured in a road accident near Pallam in Kottayam on February 5, was declared brain dead on Thursday at a private hospital in Kochi. With her parents' consent, six of her organs were donated, making her the youngest organ donor in the state, officials said. In a post on 'X', Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the passing of the child in the road accident had deeply saddened everyone and that she would be bid farewell with official honours at her funeral, scheduled for Sunday. Later in the day, an order was issued directing the district authorities in Pathanamthitta to make arrangements to place wreaths on the infant's mortal remains on behalf of the chief minister and the state government. The

Kerala to launch India's first graphene policy to become global tech hub

State unveils incentives, ₹200 cr innovation hub to attract investors

Kerala 1st state to frame urban policy, expects 80% urbanisation by 2050

Kerala on Friday became the first state in the country to frame a comprehensive Urban Policy, laying out a long-term development roadmap as it moves rapidly towards an urban future. The policy envisions Kerala in 2050 as "a continuous network of climate-smart cities and towns, ensuring scientific planning and good governance." The state cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, approved the draft Urban Policy prepared by the Local Self Government Department, marking the culmination of nearly two years of sustained work, a CMO release said here. The initiative was first announced in the 202324 state budget. In December 2023, the government constituted the Kerala Urban Policy Commission, bringing together national and international experts. The commission submitted the Nava Kerala Urban Policy report to the Chief Minister in March 2025. To hold wider discussions on the report, the government organised a global conference in Kochi in September. Ministers, mayors,

Congress names Tharoor co-chairman of campaign committee for Kerala polls

The Congress on Thursday set up two key panels for the upcoming Kerala Assembly polls, with Ramesh Chennithala and Shashi Tharoor appointed chairman and co-chairman, respectively, of the party's campaign committee. Tharoor's appointment assumes significance as it comes days after he met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi for redressal of his grievances, after which he said "all is good" and "we are all on the same page". Since then, Tharoor has been seen speaking prominently for the Congress, and also initiated the discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. Congress president Kharge has approved the proposal for the constitution of the campaign committee and the manifesto committee of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee for the upcoming Assembly elections, a party statement said. While Chennithala has been named the chairman of the campaign committee, Tharoor has been appointed its co-chairman. Congress MP Shafi Parambil will be the

Trade union strike disrupts normal life in Kerala, transport services hit

The nationwide strike called by trade unions against the Centre's Labour Codes brought normal life to a standstill across Kerala on Thursday. Though the state government declared a dies-non for government employees, attendance at offices was expected to remain low as transport vehicles remained off the roads. The General Administration Department of the state government issued an order stating that unauthorised absence of an officer on account of the strike shall be treated as "dies-non". The pay for the day on which the strike is taking place will be withheld from the salary if officials do not report for duty, the order said. No leave would be granted to teachers and government employees except in cases of personal illness or illness of close relatives, examinations, maternity leave or other unavoidable reasons, the order added. Apart from government offices, shops and businesses were also likely to remain closed due to the nationwide 24-hour strike. Travellers were among the w

Kerala enters execution phase of ₹42,000 cr rare-earth corridor project

Bids close for extraction project as Centre backs corridors in four states

Centre must withdraw direction to stop paddy bonus in Kerala: LDF convener

LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan on Saturday demanded that the Centre immediately withdraw its direction given to discontinue the additional incentive bonus provided by the Kerala government for paddy procurement. In a statement, Ramakrishnan said the Union Finance Ministry's Expenditure Secretary has written to the state chief secretary seeking withdrawal of the additional bonus given by states. The Centre has taken the stand that the additional incentive leads to excess procurement of wheat and rice across the country, creating a financial burden on the public exchequer, he said. According to him, the letter also states that the additional bonus encourages higher cultivation of foodgrains and leads to increased production. Ramakrishnan alleged that such an intervention would weaken the country's food self-sufficiency. The state government provides an additional incentive of Rs 6.31 per kg for paddy procurement, he said, adding that the Centre's share is often not released on time,

Datanomics: Kerala becomes first state to unveil 'Elderly Budget'

Though hailed as a first-of-its-kind initiative, nearly two-thirds of Kerala's elderly budget for FY27 goes towards pensions the state is obligated to pay

Kerala Budget: ₹14,500 cr for pensions, honorariums of ASHAs hiked

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday presented the budget for the financial year 2026-27, announcing allocation of Rs 14,500 crore for social security pensions and hiking honorariums for ASHA and Anganwadi workers. Presenting the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led government's sixth budget in the Legislative Assembly, Balagopal announced that the honorarium of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Anganwadi workers has been hiked by Rs 1,000 per month and that of Anganwadi helpers by Rs 500. The pay of pre-primary teachers and literacy mission motivators has been increased by Rs 1,000 per month and the daily wages of school cooking staff have been raised by Rs 25 per day, he said. The budget also announced Rs 3,700 crore for the Chief Minister's Stree Suraksha Scheme.

Comrades and Comebacks: Why the Left still matters in India today

India needs Left ideas of equality and humanism now more than ever, argues Saira Shah Halim in her book

Kerala CM Vijayan calls for unity to defend secularism, federalism on R-day

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday targeted the Centre, saying the spirit of the Constitution and democratic values were facing unprecedented challenges, and called for unity to defend secularism and federalism on the occasion of Republic Day. Extending Republic Day greetings, Vijayan said in a Facebook post that the day renewed the proud memories of India becoming a sovereign, democratic republic, even as conscious attempts were being made to undermine the principles of secularism and federalism enshrined in the Constitution. He said the Constitution was not merely a legal document, but the soul of the idea of India that celebrates diversity and guarantees equal justice. The chief minister said the occasion called for vigilance against forces attempting to weaken the vision of "unity in diversity" and impose a monolithic ideology. "The federal concept of a strong Centre with empowered states is facing serious challenges. We should stand together against policies that

Gold, coconut oil and consumption: Inside Kerala's inflation streak

Kerala's retail inflation hit 9.49% in December, topping all states for the seventh straight month, driven by soaring coconut oil, gold prices and rural cost pressures

Priyanka Gandhi writes to PM, seeks loan waiver for landslide victims

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has again written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to direct waiver of loans availed by the victims of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster in Wayanad, the party said on Saturday. The Congress MP has also urged the PM to convert the loans given to the state for disaster relief work as grants, it said in a statement. It further said that after Wayanad did not receive any central assistance related to the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides, all the Kerala MPs had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in person in December 2024. Subsequently, in February 2025, Priyanka had written to the PM pointing out that providing money as a loan for rehabilitation six months after the landslides was "unjust and inhumane", the statement said. She had also requested the PM to waive the loans of the jeep and autorickshaw drivers, small traders and homestay operators who had lost their means of livelihood in the disaster, it said. The Congress MP had again made th

PM Modi targets 'corrupt' DMK, kicks off NDA poll campaign in Tamil Nadu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said it was time to bid farewell to the "corrupt" DMK government in Tamil Nadu as he kick-started the NDA campaign for the assembly elections in the next few months. "Tamil Nadu is with NDA! I'll be joining NDA leaders at the rally in Madhuranthakam later today," Modi said in a post on X. "Tamil Nadu has decided that it's time to bid farewell to the corrupt DMK Government," the prime minister said. Modi said the NDA's governance record and commitment to regional aspirations were striking a chord with the people of the state. NDA leaders, including the major constituent, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, will participate in the mega poll rally at Madhuranthakam.