Page 11 - Kerala Government

Kerala CPI(M) probes CITU leader's spouse buying Rs 50L MINI Cooper

After a video of a brand new Rs 5 million-worth MINI Cooper purchased by the wife of a top CITU leader went viral, the CPI(M) launched a probe

Cutting Kerala's borrowing capacity a 'sadistic approach' of the Centre: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday lashed out at the BJP-ruled central government over its decision to cut down the borrowing limit of the state by half by terming the move as "sadistic". Vijayan said while the central government jumps at every opportunity to fill its coffers, like implementing GST, it was taking a "negative approach" when it came to helping the state progress. He contended that the Centre demanded payment for the help provided, like foodgrains and aid of armed forces, by it during various calamities face by the state. "This is not just a problem of the LDF government. It is a problem for the whole state. It is a matter of the progress of the people. Should the union government take the position of letting a state perish is an issue to be considered," the CM said. Vijayan said the stand taken by Centre was another crisis being heaped upon a state which has faced and survived several calamities. At the same time he also indirectly criticised the ...

Kerala approves Rs 1 lakh per month honorarium for representative in Delhi

The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala on Wednesday approved an honorarium of Rs one lakh per month for its Cabinet rank special representative and expelled Congress leader K V Thomas, in New Delhi. The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Besides the honorarium, the Cabinet also allowed Thomas to hire two assistants, one office attendant and one driver. Thomas was appointed as the Kerala government's special representative in New Delhi after he was sacked by Congress for his alleged anti-party activities. The Congress had taken the extreme step against former Union Minister Thomas soon after the veteran shared the stage with Vijayan in a by-poll meeting of the Left party-led front in Kochi in May 2022. The other decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting included allowing continuation of 81 temporary batches in plus one admissions and 30 per cent increase in marginal seats in higher secondary schools in the State in the current .

Kerala's govt progress card factually incorrect, full of hypocrisy: Oppn

The Congress-led UDF opposition in Kerala on Sunday said the progress card of achievements released by the ruling Left front in the state was "factually incorrect" and "full of hypocrisy". Countering the allegation, the LDF government said the opposition only sees fraud in everything the administration was doing and asked the UDF to show proof in support of its accusations. A day after the Congress-led UDF on Saturday laid siege to the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram against the alleged misrule and corruption of the Left dispensation, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly V D Satheesan termed the LDF administration a "failure". Satheesan alleged that every department of the government was failing to function properly. "Even the Home Department under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is a failure. There is in-fighting among its officials. The outcome is the sacrifice of an honest police officer by suspending him," the LoP claimed. He was referring to the recent suspension of .

AI camera case: Kerala govt gives clean chit, Cong to take legal action

All the tender process has been done according to the CWC guidelines, and the report has dismissed all the allegations levelled as baseless, said Rajeev

Kerala to issue ordinance amending hospital protection law to ensure safety

The Kerala government on Thursday said it was going to issue an ordinance amending the law for protection of hospitals to ensure the safety of doctors and healthcare professionals in the state. The decision was announced by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the killing of a 23-year-old doctor -- Vandana Das -- at a taluk hospital in Kollam district by a man brought there for treatment by the police, and the resultant widespread protests by doctors, medical students and healthcare professionals. He said the ordinance would be introduced in the next cabinet meeting. Besides issuance of the ordinance, the CM said that police outposts would be set up at major hospitals in the state.

KGMOA suggests measures to Kerala govt for tightening hospitals security

The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) on Thursday suggested to the state government a slew of measures, including installation of CCTV cameras and deployment of ex-servicemen, to strengthen security in hospitals and help doctors treat patients without fear. In a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, KGMOA put forward a list of measures for urgent consideration by the government in the wake of the killing of a 23-year-old doctor at a taluk hospital in Kollam district by a man brought there for treatment by the police. The suggestions included issuance of an ordinance to amend the Kerala Health Care Service Persons and Health Care Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012 for ensuring protection of those working in the health science education sector. Besides that, the association of medical professionals also suggested deployment of armed police and aid posts at hospitals having emergency wards, implementation of .

After AI camera, Cong raises corruption charges against govt's KFON project

After the Artificial Intelligence (AI) camera project, the opposition Congress on Thursday levelled corruption charges against the LDF government's flagship Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) scheme which was envisaged to provide free internet for poor families. Lashing out at the LDF government, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan alleged there was massive corruption in the project which has offered to provide free internet to 20 lakh families. Sub-contracts had been awarded violating rules and the PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which led the consortium of companies that had been awarded the contract, was given an excess tender amount of Rs 520 crore than the actual estimate, he said at a press meet here. The huge tender excess was given against an existing government circular issued by the then finance secretary K M Abraham that tender excess should not be more than 10 per cent in government contracts, he pointed out. "A scam similar to that of the AI .

'The Kerala Story' controversy: Why are state leaders mulling for a ban?

The film deals with the story of a group of women from Kerala who were converted to Islam (either by force or were deceived) and go on to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)

Kerala govt to act in accordance with court verdicts in Arikomban issue

The Kerala government on Tuesday made it clear that it has the responsibility to act in accordance with the verdicts of the judiciary and that a suitable location to relocate rogue elephant 'Arikomban' would be identified soon. Wildlife officials have been asked to find out the new place for the same and submit a report in this regard, Forest Minister A K Saseendran told reporters here. His statement comes a day after the Supreme Court had refused to entertain the appeal of the state government against the High Court order asking it to translocate the tusker to the Parambikulam tiger reserve in Palakkad district. The state government wanted the rice-eating elephant to be sent to a training centre, noting it had killed seven people and destroyed several homes, but the apex court observed that the Kerala High Court had given a "reasoned" order based on the views of the expert committee. "As a government, we have the responsibility to act in accordance with the verdicts of the ...

Kerala gold smuggling: Kingpin K.T. Ramees held, sent to judicial custody

Kingpin of Kerala gold smuggling case K.T.Ramees has been arrested and sent to a jail here by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), an official said here on Friday

11-year-old Kerala girl develops unique eye scanning app that uses AI

She clarified that so far, her app, Ogler Eyescan only works on iPhone 10 and above with iOS 16+

Covid-19 cases increasing in Kerala; govt issues alerts to all districts

COVID-19 infections increased in Kerala slightly prompting the state government to sound alerts to all districts on Wednesday. In a statement, Health Minister Veena George said there has been a little increase in the number of Covid-19 cases with the state reporting 172 cases on Tuesday. She said Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts have more virus cases. "There are a total of 1,026 active cases of COVID-19 and 111 people are under treatment in hospitals. All districts have been alerted," the minister said. She said the districts have also been directed to strengthen surveillance. A high-level meeting, chaired by George, also assessed the Covid situation in the state.

Kerala govt to install air quality monitoring devices at hospitals in Kochi

The Kerala government has decided to install air quality monitoring devices in select hospitals of the coastal city, which is reeling under toxic haze from the fire at the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. State Health Minister Veena George said installing the air quality monitoring devices will help identify the possibility of people getting sick due to the worsening air quality. "The devices will help identify the possibility of people falling sick and ensure preventive measures to be taken well in advance," George said in a release. Meanwhile, the Ernakulam district administration and the State Disaster Management Authority has held an online discussion on the fire situation with the New York Fire Safety Department Deputy Chief, George Healy. During the meet, Haley urged the administration to remain cautious as there are chances that fire may breakout again even after it appears to have been doused, the district administration said in a statement. The New York Fire safety offi

Amit Shah to visit Kerala today, scheduled to address public meeting

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Kerala's Thrissur on Sunday

As Kochi smog continues for eight days, Muraleedharan slams Kerala CM

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan on Thursday slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his silence on the ongoing problem of smog that has engulfed

Plastic not to be dumped at Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi: Kerala govt

The Kerala government on Wednesday decided that plastic will no longer be taken to the Brahmapuram waste plant where a fire, which broke out last week, is still smouldering leading to thick toxic smoke spreading out into the port-city of Kochi. The decision was taken in an emergency high-level meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the fire at the plant, the CMO said in a statement. It was also decided in the meeting, that bio-waste will be disposed of at the source as much as possible and the window composting system for organic waste treatment will be repaired urgently, the statement said. The Chief Minister also suggested holding of meetings in which Ministers, people's representatives, including mayors, would participate to deal with the issue of waste management and disposal, it said. Earlier in the day, in the wake of the still-smouldering fire at the Brahmapuram waste plant here and the toxic smoke being generated from there, the Kerala High

Government must declare health emergency in Kochi: Oppn on Brahmapuram fire

The LoP claimed that various departments including health, local self-government and disaster management were inactive at Brahmapuram

Fire at Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi set deliberately: UDF in assembly

The still smouldering fire at the Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi was set "deliberately" to avoid inspection of the site where several years worth of garbage was lying accumulated, Congress-led UDF opposition alleged in the Kerala assembly on Monday. The government, on the other hand, said the fire appeared to have been caused due to the high temperatures in the state, but it was investigating the matter to find out the actual reasons for it. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state assembly V D Satheesan claimed in the House that the fire has not yet been extinguished or even brought under control and alleged that neither the local administration nor the state government was doing anything to address the serious situation. The poisonous smoke generated from there, which has even entered homes of the areas neighbouring the waste plant, will cause both short and long term health problems for the people there, he contended in his submission in the House. The LoP, also an MLA from Nor

Brahmapuram fire under control, no need for concern, says Kerala govt

The fire at Brahmapuram waste plant in Kochi is presently under control and would hopefully be extinguished by evening, the Kerala government said on Sunday and assured the public that the smoke due to the blaze was not a matter of concern. State Industries Minister P Rajeeve and Health Minister Veena George, after a high-level meeting at the Ernakulam District Collectorate, told reporters here that people need not stay indoors as recommended on Saturday and can move out by taking precautions, like wearing N95 masks. However, those with breathing problems, like asthma, the elderly, children and pregnant women should try and avoid getting exposed to the smoke and should wear masks if going out, the ministers said. George also said hospital records of the city do not indicate any medical cases due to the smoke. Nevertheless, arrangements, like dedicated beds for those affected by the smoke generated due to the fire, have been made in all government hospitals and medical colleges in t