Page 3 - Kerala Government

Kerala raises age for class 1 admissions to 6 yrs: State Education Minister

Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty announced on Thursday that the minimum age for admission to Class 1 in the state has been raised to six years. The minister made the announcement during a press conference held here. Sivankutty said that, until now, children could be admitted to Class 1 at the age of five, but scientific studies suggest that they are better prepared for formal education after turning six. "That is why all countries with well-developed education systems set the age of entry for formal education at six years or above," Sivankutty said. In Kerala, parents have traditionally enrolled children in Class 1 at the age of five, he noted. However, more than 50 per cent of students now begin school at age six, and this trend should be encouraged, he added. Sivankutty said the revised age requirement for Class 1 admissions would come into effect from the 202627 academic year. Apart from the age revision, the Minister also discussed the government's efforts to c

Kerala's central tax share has halved from 10th to 15th FC: Vijayan

He tells that the Centre has double standards in dealing with borrowings of certain agencies in the state and those at the Centre as sovereign debt

Drug menace: Congress demands disbanding of SFI, targets Pinarayi Vijayan

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Saturday alleged that SFI is mainly responsible for the widespread drug distribution and consumption in colleges and hostels in Kerala and CM Vijayan is "encouraging" them. He also demanded the disbanding of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the student organisation of ruling CPI(M). The Congress's sharp reaction came in the wake of police seizing two kilograms of ganja from the men's hostel of a Government Polytechnic College in Kalamassery in Kochi on Thursday night and arresting two students. CPI(M) strongly rejected the charges saying that there is an agenda to eliminate SFI. The incident triggered a blame game among student outfit leaders, including those from the Kerala Students Union (KSU) and the SFI, over the alleged involvement of their activists in the crime. The Congress leadership has been alleging that SFI leaders were involved in the ganja seizure case and the left outfit is playing a key role in the spread of drug

Preserving paddy fields needed for food security, groundwater: Kerala govt

The Kerala government on Wednesday said it intends to protect and preserve the existing paddy lands in the state at any cost and will not allow them to be converted for other purposes. The announcement was made in the state assembly by Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad in response to a query during question hour on whether the government intends to preserve existing paddy fields. The minister stressed the need to preserve the existing paddy fields from the perspective of ensuring food security and recharge the groundwater table. According to Prasad, one acre of paddy land collects around five crore litres of water underground in a year and therefore, it was important to preserve them from the angle of water resources. The minister opined that just like forest reserves, "there should be paddy reserves". However, we cannot tell a farmer that his agricultural land is being declared a reserve paddy field, he added. "That is why we enacted the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and

Kerala has emerged as most investment-friendly state in country: CM Vijayan

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has highlighted the ruling CPI(M)'s policies on attracting investments, saying the party's vision has made Kerala the most investment-friendly state in the country. Speaking at a public meeting as part of the four-day CPI(M) state conference on Sunday, Vijayan emphasised the need for resource mobilisation to drive Kerala's progress. "Some are spreading propaganda that the CPI(M) is planning something detrimental to the state," he said. Clarifying the party's stance, he said, "We welcome any capital that does not harm the interests of the country. However, we will not accept investments with conditions that are harmful to our interests. Kerala should attract such investments." He claimed that Kerala has emerged as the number one state in investment-friendliness, a fact acknowledged across the country. "As part of this, various companies are bringing investments to our state, as witnessed at the recently held Invest Kerala Global Summit. In the first

Tharoor takes a U-turn: Slams Kerala's startup woes, calls for more MSMEs

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor shared his displeasure about the state's startup ecosystem whose growth is continuing to decline

Shashi Tharoor's article sparks row, BJP says his marginalisation certain

Shashi Tharoor wrote an article in an English newspaper, where he appreciated Kerala's investment growth under the left-front government. But Congress leaders criticise his views

Invest Kerala Summit to begin Friday; state eyes big-ticket investments

According to sources, major investments are expected in sectors such as life sciences, food processing, and logistics. Interestingly, Kerala has so far organised only three investors' meets

Kerala to launch 1st project on collection, disposal of expired medicines

The project titled ' nPROUD' (New Programme for Removal of Unused Drugs) will be inaugurated by Health Minister Veena George on February 22

Kerala govt allocates additional Rs 300 cr for integrated healthcare scheme

The Kerala government has allocated an additional Rs 300 crore for Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASAP), its integrated health protection scheme designed to provide coverage to over 64 lakh poor and vulnerable people in the state. With this additional allocation, the total amount earmarked for the flagship scheme in the present financial year has gone up to Rs 978.54 crore, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal said in a statement on Sunday. According to government sources, KASAP aims at providing a health cover of Rs 5 lakh annually to over 41.99 lakh poor and vulnerable families (approximately 64 lakh beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40 per cent of the Kerala population. A total of Rs 700 crore has already been earmarked for the scheme in the state budget for the next financial year, he noted. The minister said that deserving families are provided with free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh per year, benefiting a total of 41.99 lakh poor and vulnerable individuals. Currently, the

We ensured Centre sends relief funds: Priyanka Gandhi on Wayanad landslide

Highlighting other challenges faced by the people, she pointed out the lack of access to health and education services for Adivasi communities

State survived financial crisis; welfare schemes unaffected: Kerala FM

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday, while presenting the budget for the financial year 2025-26 in the Assembly, said the state has survived the most intense phase of financial crisis without any of its welfare schemes or development work being affected. Presenting the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led government's fifth budget in the Legislative Assembly, Balagopal announced a Rs 750 crore project for the rehabilitation of the Wayanad landslides victims. Balagopal said that the Mundakkai and Chooralmala villages in Wayanad witnessed an extreme calamity that plunged Kerala into deep sorrow. The disaster claimed over 200 lives, destroyed hundreds of properties and thousands lost their livelihoods with the estimated loss due to the landslides being around Rs 1,202 crore, while the cost of rehabilitation is expected to be approximately Rs 2,221 crore, as assessed by a team of experts, the minister said. He said the 2025-26 Union Budget has not allocated any assistance for the ..

Kerala Food Commission warns ration traders over strike, asks to withdraw

The State Food Commission on Saturday warned of legal action against ration traders on their proposed indefinite strike in Kerala from January 27. Legal action will be taken against anyone obstructing ration cardholders from receiving their entitled share of food grains, according to an official release issued by the Commission. "It is the responsibility of the State Food Commission to ensure that the food rights guaranteed under Section 16 (6) (b) of Chapter II of the National Food Security Act, 2013, are upheld and made available to consumers through the public distribution system." "The Commission will take a serious view of any act that disrupts the delivery of food grains to ration cardholders and will initiate legal proceedings against those responsible," the release stated. The Ration Traders Coordination Committee announced the indefinite strike starting January 27 after talks with Finance Minister K N Balagopal and Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil failed to resolv

Kerala to launch rare disease patient registry, treatment clinic this year

A registry for rare disease patients in the state will become a reality this year, State Health Minister Veena George said on Friday. Speaking after inaugurating a workshop for experts in rare disease treatment here, George said the government aims to prevent rare diseases as its primary objective. She said a rare disease treatment clinic will be established in Kozhikode this year. The government is making efforts to bring affected children back to life, the minister said. "The registry for rare disease patients in the state will become a reality this year," George said. According to her, currently, more than 90 per cent survival rates have been achieved for children undergoing treatment for SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy). She said the state government aims to identify congenital disabilities and ensure specialised treatment for children. "Kerala is making significant strides in the field of rare disease care. In February 2024, the state government launched the CARE scheme for ra

Sharon Raj murder: Kerala girl gets death sentence for poisoning ex-lover

Greeshma, a literature student from Tamil Nadu, and Sharon, a BSc Radiology student from Kerala, were in a year-long relationship that ended with Sharon's murder in 2022

'Rs 6,000 cr worth of projects implemented in Kerala's higher education'

Development projects worth Rs 6,000 crore have been implemented in the higher education sector over the past four years, Kerala Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice R Bindu said on Saturday. Speaking at a press conference, the minister said the state's higher education sector is being elevated to international standards. "A total of Rs 2,000 crore was allocated for infrastructure expansion. Significant advancements have been made in this sector through initiatives funded by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), Plan Fund, and the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)," she said. She also stated that the laboratory complexes established at Kerala University and MG University have become the largest facilities of their kind in South India. "Over the past few years, Rs 250 crore has been spent to upgrade the laboratory facilities at CUSAT to high standards," she added. The two-day conclave on higher education, organised by the Department of Higher

Tension in Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese in Kerala after police action

A tense atmosphere prevailed outside the Bishop House of the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese here, after the police on Saturday evacuated from there several priests who were on an indefinite fast demanding withdrawal of certain documents issued by an Apostolic Administrator. Believers and priests strongly criticise the police action. They claimed before TV channels that the protesting priests were forcibly evacuated by the police from the Bishop House in the wee hours of Saturday. Visuals on TV channels also show that some of the protesting priests were injured in the police action. Several believers and priests, thereafter, began arriving in numbers at the St Mary's Basilica where the protesting priests were relocated and police were also seen in large numbers. The believers also got into a heated argument with police outside the Angamaly-Ernakulam archdiocese headquarters. They also accused Ernakulam ACP C Jayakumar of saying that the government was against the Angamaly-Ernakula

Kerala Cong MLA, 3 others booked for abetment in party worker's suicide

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan stated that the Congress party would conduct its own internal investigation alongside the police inquiry

Kerala CM slams BJP minister for 'Mini Pakistan'; remark, says 'deplorable'

The Congress also denounced Rane's comments, linking them to past Communist Party of India CPI(M) statements about the victories of Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi in Wayanad

Centre, state govt need to take initiative: Kerala LoP on Nimisha Priya

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier in the day confirmed its awareness of the death sentence handed to Nimisha Priya and assured that the government is providing all possible assistance