Page 33 - Kerala

Kozhikode officially declared India's first Unesco 'City of Literature'

Kozhikode in north Kerala, known for its rich cultural heritage, was on Sunday officially declared as India's first UNESCO 'City of Literature'. In October 2023, Kozhikode had earned a place in the 'Literature' category of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). State Local Self Government Department (LSGD) Minister, M B Rajesh, on Sunday in an official event here announced the achievement of Kozhikode which earned the place in the 'Literature' category of the UCCN. Rajesh described Kozhikode as a city with a soul, characterised by humanity, harmony, a strong sense of justice and freedom of expression. "These core values have given birth to the vibrant art of Kozhikode," Rajesh said. The minister said the efficient functioning of the Kozhikode city corporation played a major role in bagging the 'City of Literature' tag from UNESCO after beating cities with rich cultural history like Kolkata. The state government also announced that from coming year, June 23 will be celebrated

GST Council meeting: States should get 60% share of GST, says Kerala

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal has called for a review of the central-state tax sharing ratio of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and said that 60 per cent should go to the states, whereas it is shared equally now. Currently, the ratio is 50:50 and it should be changed to 40:60 in favour of the states, the minister said in the GST Council meeting held in New Delhi on Saturday, according to a statement issued by his office here on Sunday. Speaking about the significant issues addressed during the meeting, the state FM said a favourable decision taken with regard to the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) is expected to be greatly beneficial for Kerala. Generally, a GSTR-8 return is also required to be filed detailing the GST charges by e-commerce operators while doing business through e-commerce platforms, he said. It was decided in the meeting to include in the GSTR-8 return the details about the state to which the tax should go, along with the amount of tax, Balagopal

Two organ trafficking complaints received, 3 arrests made: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday informed the state assembly that the state police was investigating complaints alleging that organ trafficking was taking place in the state and several arrests have been made in this connection. Replying to a question on organ trafficking, Vijayan said three people were arrested so far in connection with a case registered at Nedumbassery in Ernakulam district. "One complaint was lodged by a Malappuram resident alleging that two private hospitals in Ernakulam have links to international organ trading mafia. The second complaint is regarding illegal organ transplantation from Thiruvananthapuram," he said. In the Nedumbassery case, he said three people were arrested and the process has been initiated to issue a Blue Corner notice through Interpol for prime accused Madhu Jayakumar, who is absconding. A 13-member police team is probing the matter. Meanwhile, the police is probing into the illegal organ transplantation from ...

Kerala CM admits to repeated instances of bomb blasts in some Kannur areas

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday admitted in the state assembly that there have been repeated incidents of bomb blasts in some areas of the northern district of Kannur and said the police will conduct more vigorous investigations there. The submission by Vijayan came while rejecting the Congress-led UDF opposition's demand to adjourn the House proceedings and discuss the issue of repeated instances of bomb blasts in Kannur district. Claiming that a peaceful environment prevailed in Kannur, the CM said that the police were taking strict measures, including inspections, to prevent the manufacture of explosives. "The government is viewing the recent incident and similar instances very seriously and police have been directed to take stringent actions. Do not try to give it a political colour," he said. He said that a case of unnatural death has been registered under the Explosive Substances Act in connection with the demise of an 86-year-old man in a bomb blast at ..

Dhanlaxmi Bank appoints Ajith Kumar KK as MD & CEO for 3-year tenure

Private sector Dhanlaxmi Bank on Tuesday said it has appointed Ajith Kumar KK as Managing Director (MD) of the bank. He will take charge on June 20, Kerala-based Dhanlaxmi Bank said in a regulatory filing. The board at its meeting held on Tuesday approved the appointment of Ajith Kumar KK as Managing Director & CEO of the bank for a period of three years with effect from June 20, 2024, and on such remuneration as approved by RBI vide letter dated April 18, it said. The bank will seek approval of the shareholders for the said appointment within the prescribed time period in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI regulations, it said. He is a seasoned banker with over 36 years of experience with the Federal Bank in various facets of banking including Credit, Human Resources, Business, Branch Banking etc. He is presently the Chief Human Resources Officer at Federal Bank in the cadre of president, it said.

Priyanka's presence in Parliament will be huge asset to Congress: Tharoor

Priyanka Gandhi's presence in the Lok Sabha would strengthen the opposition benches and Wayanad would have a very strong person to represent them in Parliament, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor said on Tuesday. Tharoor, speaking to the PTI on the sidelines of his 'thanksgiving' campaign in Neyyattinkara Assembly constituency, said Priyanka has been a very effective orator during the election campaigns and he was happy that she decided to enter electoral politics from Kerala. "I think Rahulji absolutely had to keep Rae Bareli, it is a very important signal to the people of Uttar Pradesh and of North India in general. "At the same time, he did not want to feel that he was abandoning the people of Wayanad and it is better to entrust it to his own sister. So I think it is a wonderful decision," Tharoor said as he travelled through the constituency in an open vehicle, thanking the voters. He said the same was his preference for the last few weeks, when it was clear tha

After Priyanka, husband Robert Vadra looking to enter politics? His answer

Priyanka Gandhi is set to contest the Wayanad Lok Sabha bye-election, which has been necessitated after Rahul Gandhi announced his decision to vacate the constituency

If depositors money not returned, people will lose trust in coop banks: HC

The Kerala High Court has said that unless the authorities take steps to ensure depositors' request for return of their money is honoured, people's trust in the cooperative banking sector would be "seriously diminished". Justice Devan Ramachandran said that people losing faith in the cooperative banking sector would "prejudice" the state deeply, "particularly when the present fiscal situation is not as satisfactory as it ought to have been". "... the return of fixed deposits by the cooperative banks is the sine qua non of a healthy financial scenario; and violations of it would certainly create unrest in the minds of persons and would impede them from relying upon such banks in future," the court said in its order of June 13. The observations by the court came while hearing a batch of petitions by depositors seeking return of their money in various cooperative banks in the state. The court, during the proceedings, noted that since the last hearing on May 21, there has not been enou

Kerala min slams BJP as NCERT modifies Babri Masjid demolition references

A day after the NCERT defended its modifying references to Babri Masjid demolition in school textbooks, Kerala Minister M B Rajesh on Monday termed it as a move to communalise all systems of the government and said there was a need to continue the collective fight against such attempts. Rajesh, a CPI(M) leader, said the BJP-led union government had done similar things in the past 10 years, also claiming that there was no agenda behind their actions. The present move by the NCERT has proved that despite the BJP's decreased number of seats in the Lok Sabha and the party losing the majority to rule independently, the Sangh Parivar was not ready to withdraw from its extreme communal agendas, the minister for Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) alleged. "This is a warning to everyone. So, we have to continue the fight against the Sangh Parivar and their efforts to communalise textbooks and all other systems of the government," he told reporters here. Rejecting accusations of ...

On calling Indira Gandhi 'mother' of India, Union min Gopi now takes U-turn

While retracting his earlier statement, Suresh Gopi continued to praise Indira Gandhi, labelling the former Prime Minister as the "real architect" of India post-independence

Will Priyanka Gandhi mark her electoral debut from Wayanad Lok Sabha seat?

In the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Rahul Gandhi contested and won both Wayanad and Raebareli constituency, however, will have to give up one of the seats as per the rules

Kerala health min denied permission to visit Kuwait for fire relief efforts

Kerala Health Minister Veena George has claimed she was denied permission by the Union Government to travel to Kuwait. The purpose of the visit was to coordinate relief efforts for Keralites affected by a tragic fire incident in the Gulf nation, she said. "What we just sought from the central government was the permission to travel to Kuwait to stand with our people affected by the tragedy and coordinate activities there. That permission is denied," George told reporters on Thursday night. The fire incident has claimed the lives of 49 people, with 40 of them being Indians. Out of these, 23 are from Kerala. The state government had decided to send George to Kuwait to help with the relief efforts, including treatment for the injured and the repatriation of the deceased. George reportedly waited for hours at the airport, hoping for permission from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Kuwait fire tragedy: 22 from Kerala dead; 6 hospitalised with injuries

The NORKA official said that they have unofficial reports that 22 people from Kerala have been confirmed dead and that the identities of 15 of them have been confirmed

Kuwait fire: Kerala CM writes to EAM, seeks Centre's intervention

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking the Centre's intervention in the Kuwait fire incident which claimed over 40 lives, including several Malayalees. Terming the incident as "utmost painful", Vijayan condoled the loss of lives in the tragedy. In a brief message, he said that among the 40 people reportedly killed in the mishap, some were believed to be Malayalees. In his letter, Vijayan said that he came across reports that a fire had broken out in a camp -- known as NBTC camp -- in Mangaf, Kuwait and many Indians, including some from Kerala, have lost their lives. The CM also said that according to the reports, many have suffered serious injuries in the "unfortunate incident". "I request your goodself to give necessary directions to the Indian Embassy to coordinate relief and rescue operations by getting in touch with the Government of Kuwait," Vijayan said in his letter to Jaishankar. Over 40 people, majority

NBCC bags Rs 100 cr from Oil India to build core repository in Guwahati

State-owned NBCC (India) Limited has bagged a Rs 100 crore contract from Oil India to construct a centralised core repository with advanced laboratory facilities at Guwahati in Assam. In a statement on Wednesday, NBCC said it has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Oil India for the construction of a centralised core repository with advanced laboratory facilities at Guwahati in Assam. "This work is valued at Rs 100 crore approximately," it added. The MoU was signed by SalomaYomdo, ED (E&D), OIL and Pradeep Sharma, ED (Engg.), NBCC in the presence of Ranjit Rath, CMD, OIL, K P Mahadevaswamy, CMD, NBCC, Saleem Ahmad, Director (Projects), NBCC and other senior-level officials from both the organisation. NBCC and OIL are also in the final stages of discussion for undertaking various other works, such as the execution of a hospital, group housing, guest house, installation of solar rooftop panels etc. in Assam. "The anticipated value of these works is Rs 900 crore ...

No moratorium on repayment of loans during trawling ban period: Kerala govt

The Kerala government on Wednesday made it clear that no moratorium has been granted on repayment of loans availed by fishermen during the time of the ongoing 52-day-long trawling ban imposed in state waters. However, several measures, including free rations, were given to the fishermen's families during the trawling ban period from June 10 to July 31, state Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan told the state assembly. He was replying to a question raised by MLA E K Vijayan (CPI-M) during the Question Hour. The fishermen, who use mechanised vessels, and those engaged in other related work in the sector lost jobs during the ban, and they are being given free rations, the minister said. Under the financial relief scheme, those fishermen, who are members of their welfare fund board, would get assistance of Rs 4,500 during this time. Of this, Rs 1500 each is contributed by the union and state governments and the rest is the share of beneficiaries, he noted. While replying to a question,

BJP leader Suresh Gopi denies rumours of resigning from Modi's Cabinet

Shortly after being sworn into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new government, actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi says he has no interest in a ministerial role

Kerala rejects Oppn's plea for corruption case in liquor policy row

The Left government in Kerala on Monday rejected the opposition Congress-led UDF's demand to register a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act into the allegations with regard to the "amendment" of the state's liquor policy. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rejected the opposition's demand in the state Assembly which met here for the first time after the Lok Sabha polls. An agitated opposition later raised slogans against the LDF government and showed placards as a mark of protest by standing in front of the podium of Speaker A N Shamseer. Though the UDF, under Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, urged the CPI (M)-led regime to register a corruption case in connection with the issue, Vijayan said a police probe was already underway. He accused the opposition of raising a fabricated argument and trying to create the impression that something (illegal) was happening in the state. "The State Excise Minister himself had lodged a complaint with the Director General of Police as

Popular Malayalam action hero Suresh Gopi sworn in as Union minister

He was trolled during the Lok Sabha poll campaign, but despite the tactics by his rivals, action hero Suresh Gopi rose to national stardom in cinema style on June 4, winning the Thrissur seat on a BJP ticket and scripting history for the saffron party in Kerala. In other words, the saffron party's decades-long struggle in Kerala -- a state historically dominated by the Left and the Congress -- and marked by numerous challenges since the Jan Sangh days, finally yielded fruit in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls through Gopi. Post-victory also, Gopi's political career saw cinematic twists, with his initial reluctance to accept a ministerial berth in the government, citing his commitment to the people of Thrissur and agreements he had signed for a couple of movies, one of which is produced by the company of megastar Mammootty, whom he affectionately calls Mammookka. He had returned to Kerala after attending the NDA MPs' meeting two days ago, but he got a call from Prime Minister-designate ...

Tharoor bats for Rahul as LoP; says he was 'man of match' of LS polls

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday hailed Rahul Gandhi as "the man of the match" of the Lok Sabha polls and said it would only be fitting that he takes on the mantle of the Leader of Opposition in the house. In an interview with PTI after his fourth-straight Lok Sabha polls victory, Tharoor said the message of the mandate was that the electorate have given a "comeuppance" to the BJP's "overweening arrogance" and its "my way or the high way attitude". "It will be a challenge for Mr (Narendra) Modi and Amit Shah who have not been used to consulting very much in running their government and I think this is going to test their ability to change their way of functioning and be more accommodative and more conciliatory within the government and also I hope with the opposition," Tharoor said on the incoming coalition government of the NDA. The former Union minister said this time the Modi-led NDA government could prove to be a 'majboor sarkaar' (helpless government) on some ...