Page 12 - Kerala Govt

Cooperation between neighbours vital to prevent spread of disease: Kerala

As various infectious diseases are throwing up unprecedented challenges across the world, the Kerala government has emphasised upon cooperation between its health department and those of the neighbouring states to prevent spread of communicable ailments. State Health Minister Veena George said it was necessary for the health departments of the bordering states to work in cooperation with each other to prevent spread of infectious diseases effectively. The minister was speaking at an inter-state meeting of various states inaugurated by her on Monday, a government release said. At the meeting, George said that health workers in border districts, when required, should coordinate with each other in the areas of data sharing, early warning, preparation of strategic action plans, development of local awareness materials, implementation of containment and quarantine guidelines. She said that climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and pesticide resistance have all contributed to disease

Protection of coastal areas from erosion of utmost importance: Kerala govt

The protection of the state's coastal areas, facing erosion due to strong sea waves, is of the utmost importance and Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated for the same, the Kerala government has said. Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine said that around Rs 5,400 crore would have to be spent for protecting the coastal areas from erosion. Of that Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated under a KIIFB project, he said on Sunday after inaugurating the reconstructed seawalls in Azhikkal coastal area of Azhikode constituency in Kannur district of the state. Augustine, at the event, said the major problem being faced by the people in coastal areas was sea water entering their homes and disrupting their living conditions. He said the reconstruction of the seawalls in Azhikkal in a time-bound manner was an example of the government's tireless efforts to resolve the problem faced by people living in coastal areas. Similarly, construction of seawalls, using tetrapods, was 80 per cent comple

Plea in Kerala HC seeking law to prohibit practice of black magic, sorcery

A plea has been filed in the Kerala High Court seeking to pass a law to prohibit the practice of black magic, sorcery and inhuman evil practices in the society. A bench headed by the Chief Justice S Manikumar which had on Tuesday considered the plea, asked the government what was the reason for the delay in passing such a statute. The court has said that it will further hear the matter after two weeks. The writ petition filed by Kerala Yukthi Vadhi Sangam, which claims to stand for rationalism, humanism, scientific temper and spirit of inquiry, told the High Court that the state was continuously witnessing some crimes in connection with superstitious beliefs. "Currently, there are no adequate provisions in the general penal statute to prohibit the same or to be otherwise dealt with...Karnataka and Maharashtra are two states which have passed statutes in this regard," the plea, filed through lawyer P V Jeevesh, said. The petition sought to consider and take a decision on the ...

PT Usha alleges illegal encroachment at her athletics school in Kerala

'It is a growing institution, so many athletes are being trained there and this is not the first time such an incident has taken place'

Kerala's economy posted strong recovery in 2021-22: State Economic Review

Finance minister KN Balagopal on Thursday tabled the State Economic Review for 2021-22, claiming that the state had posted its fastest growth since 2012-13

Farmers should create value-added items from agriculture: Kerala minister

Farmers in Kerala should create value-added items out of their agricultural products and sell them as international brands in the world market to increase their income, state Agriculture Minister P Prasad said. Speaking after inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of Kudumbashree projects at Ranni in Pathanamthitta district of the state, the minister said farmers can boost their income by international branding and sale of such value added products and by better organising the agricultural labour force. "Mechanization of the agricultural labor force can help both the farmer and the laborers," he said. As a step towards that, necessary machinery will be provided to the agricultural work force in Ranni Perunad panchayat with the help of the agriculture department, Prasad said. He further said that "our diet and lifestyle invite diseases, so we must take up agriculture to avoid them". The minister also praised the Kudumbashree and said it was a system that the world can emulate

Kerala CM accuses Sangh Parivar of treating minorities as 'enemies'

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the Sangh Parivar of treating Muslims and Christians as 'enemies of the nation' and urged everyone to unite against such divisive actions, drawing sharp criticism from the BJP. Vijayan said the Constitution, which was the best weapon to fight against caste discrimination and religious hatred, was presently under attack. The CM alleged the Sangh Parivar and the RSS have made it clear that their aim was to turn India into a 'Hindu rashtra'. He also accused the party in power at the Centre of being followers of a political group which did not take part in the freedom struggle. "They are attacking the very roots of our country, its democracy and the Constitution," he said while speaking after inaugurating the Constitution Protection Conference and Secular Meet here on Thursday. In his speech, Vijayan said that if the Constitution was destroyed, everything -- from an individual's dignity to the sovereignty of the country -- would be lo

Kerala Guv questions timing of BBC doc when India assumed G20 presidency

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday questioned the timing of the release of the controversial BBC documentary -- "India: The Modi Question" -- saying it came at a time when India assumed the presidency of the G20. Khan, speaking to reporters here, also said that he is surprised that people are attaching more importance to the opinion of a foreign documentary maker, "that too our colonial masters", than the verdict of the highest court of the land. "So many judicial verdicts, including that of the highest court of the land, the timing, all these things have to be taken into consideration. This is a time when India has assumed the G20 presidency. "Why has this particular time been chosen to bring out this scurrilous material? You cannot ignore these things and particularly when it is coming from a source who ruled over us for over 200 years," the Governor said.

Kerala political groups to screen BBC doc; BJP seeks CM's intervention

CPI(M)'s youth wing, DYFI, kicked off the political storm in the state over the documentary by announcing on its Facebook page that it would be shown in the state

Kerala FM Balagopal seeks inputs to revitalise state's sagging economy

Ahead of the state budget to be presented on February 3, Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has sought the people's suggestions to reinvigorate the sagging economy of the state

Kerala govt planning to grant menstrual leaves in state varsities: Edu Min

Kerala Higher Education Minister Dr R Bindu said that the govt is considering granting menstrual leaves in all the state varsities as recently announced by the Cochin University

Kejriwal, Akhilesh, Left leaders to attend BRS public meet in T'gana on Wed

The ruling BRS in Telangana to organise a public meet at Khammam town on Wednesday, attended by Delhi CM Kejriwal, Punjab CM Mann, Kerala CM Vijayan, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav and CPI's D Raja

Tharoor Vs Others: AICC asks all Kerala leaders to maintain decorum

Sensing that if it does not intervene now, it might be a bit too late, the All India Congress Committee(AICC) asked the leaders to ensure that there is no more "free for all" in public domain

Kerala home secy, family injured after truck rams their car near Kayamkulam

Kerala Home Secretary Dr V Venu and his wife Sarada Muraleedharan met with an accident near Kayamkulam on Monday

Kerala becomes country's first fully digital banking service: CM Vijayan

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday declared Kerala as the first state in the country to go fully digital in its banking service and said this recognition would boost the state economy. In an event held here, Vijayan said this achievement was possible due to social interventions through local self-government institutions along with infrastructure development and technological advances in the banking sector. "I would like to congratulate everyone who worked behind this and declare Kerala as the first fully digital banking state in the country," Vijayan said. "In order to make the digital services universally accessible, we need to ensure that the digital divide is completely eliminated," he added. The Chief Minister also said the ambitious Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) project of the state government, which was almost 90 per cent completed, will reduce the digital divide. "The K-FON will ensure internet facility to everyone in the state and 17,155 km-long optic fibre c

Modi govt does not discriminate people on political lines, says Javadekar

He also accused Pinarayi Vijayan-led State government of having the "habit of appropriating what PM Modi has done" in the southern state

Kerala gives nod for land acquisition to build airport near Sabarimala

The order from the Revenue Department states that 2,570 acres of land will be taken between Erumeli South and Manimala

Will protect people's interest living near protected areas: Kerala govt

The Left government in Kerala on Wednesday categorically made it clear that no action will be taken that would adversely impact the life and livelihood of people living near the protected forests. The government also cautioned against false propaganda by vested interests to create misunderstanding among local residents with regard to buffer zone issue. The strong stand of the state government is to exclude the inhabited areas from the buffer zone limit and it would go to any extent to protect the interest of local residents and farmers in this regard, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a press conference here. A final report would be submitted before the Supreme Court only after considering the opinions and suggestions of people in the designated areas and after including all buildings and structures in those regions, he said. Estimates of buildings and other constructions in the regions and evidence, substantiated with maps, specifying the inhabited areas shall be submitted .

Ruling LDF, opposition Cong say central forces not required at Vizhinjam

The ruling LDF and the opposition Congress in Kerala were in agreement on Sunday that there was no need for central forces to maintain law and order at Vizhinjam here which saw incidents of violence recently in connection with the seaport being built there. Kerala Ports Minister Ahammed Devarkovil was of the view that Adani Group, which is carrying out the port construction, can seek protection from central forces at the work site, but outside it the police was capable of maintaining law and order. "We do not need help from central forces to maintain law and order. Kerala Police is capable of handling that. It is Adani which has sought aid from central forces and not us. We are providing them protection," the minister said to reporters. On Friday, the state government had told the Kerala High Court that it does not have any objection to deployment of central security forces at the under-construction Vizhinjam seaport in Thiruvananthapuram which was hit by violent protests recently .

Kerala governor take up pension for personal staff of Ministers issue

Sources in the know of things said that Khan has decided to work on this and is studying the practices followed by other states