Page 40 - Kerala

Focus on voters at booth-level for electoral success, PM Modi to Kerala BJP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi provided guidance to party workers on Wednesday on winning over voters in Kerala, where the BJP has not made any major gains in elections till now. Addressing a gathering of around 6,000 in-charges of 'Shakti Kendras,' each comprising two to three booth-level areas, at Marine Drive, the prime minister said that Kerala has the potential to influence who will be in power in Delhi. He urged the BJP workers to ensure victory in their respective booths. "If we win our booths, we will win Kerala. For that you (party workers) have to focus your attention on every voter in every booth-level area and work hard. "You should have a list of every beneficiary in your booth, meet them, get to know their names, meet their families; that should be the first priority," Modi said. He further advised his party workers to include in the ongoing Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in Kerala those who have not yet benefited from the central government's development and welfare ...

Gujarat, Kerala, K'taka best states in nurturing startup ecosystem: DPIIT

Gujarat and Karnataka are ranked as the 'best performers' in developing startup ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs, according to the ranking of states and Union territories by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh are also categorised as the best performers. The ranking is a yearly exercise under DPIIT that evaluates all states and Union Territories on their efforts to build an ecosystem conducive to startup growth. A total of 33 states and Union territories (UTs) participated in the exercise. They are ranked under five categories -- best performers, top performers, leaders, aspiring leaders and emerging startup ecosystems. The states and Union Territories were broadly divided into two sections based on their population size --those having more than 1 crore and the ones with less than 1 crore. Gujarat has been ranked as the best performer for the fourth time in a row. Karnataka has been ranked in this segment

ED attaches assets worth over Rs 30 cr of Kerala realty group promoter

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said it has attached assets worth more than Rs 30 crore of the promoter of a Kerala-based realty group and concerns linked to him as part of a money-laundering investigation connected to an alleged bank loan fraud case. A total of 62 immovable properties belonging to Heera Construction Company Private Limited, its managing director Abdul Rasheed, his trust Heera Educational and Charitable Trust and sister company Heera Summer Holiday Homes Private Limited have been attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the central agency said in a statement. The total value of these properties is Rs 30.28 crore, it added. Heera Constructions Company Private Limited, Rasheed and the other accused cheated the State Bank of India's Kowdiar branch in Thiruvananthapuram by "fraudulently" selling the primary and collateral securities mortgaged with the bank and also "defrauded" in the repayment of loans, the ED ...

PM Modi to arrive in Kerala for 2 day on Jan 16, after Lakshadweep Visit

Two weeks after his visit to Lakshadweep and Kerala, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be returning to the southern state for two days on January 16. Modi is scheduled to arrive at Kochi on January 16 and will hold a roadshow in the port city on that day, according to the BJP's state unit. On the next day, January 17, he will travel to Guruvayur in Thrissur district to attend the wedding of actor-cum-politician Suresh Gopi's daughter, it said. The PM would then return to Kochi where he will attend a party meeting of around 6,000 in-charges of 'shakti kendras', which comprise two-three booth-level areas. Modi would also be taking part in programmes related to Central government projects and then would return to Delhi by evening, the BJP's state unit said. Earlier this month, the PM inaugurated and laid the foundation for various projects worth Rs 1,150 crore in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Thereafter, he had attended a women's convention organised by the BJP in Thrissur.

The Kerala Story OTT release date: Here's when and where to watch

As per reports, The Kerala Story finally locked a deal with an OTT platform. The movie might be released on January 12 at Zee5. Here's all you need to know

SFI puts up unwelcoming banners against Kerala Guv ahead of his visit

The CPI(M)'s student wing, SFI, erected unwelcoming banners against Governor Arif Mohammed Khan at Ponnani in this north Kerala district where he is scheduled to a commemoration programme organised by the Congress party on Wednesday. The Students Federation of India (SFI) placed banners stating -- 'Mister Chancellor you are not welcome here' and 'Mister chancellor this is a place where there are a lot of people whom you called bloody criminals, be careful' -- at various places in Ponnani hours ahead of Khan's arrival to participate in a programme to commemorate late Congress leader P T Mohana Krishnan. Khan had on Tuesday faced a massive protest from various youth outfits affiliated to the ruling Left Democratic Front during his visit to Thodupuzha in Idukki district to participate in a function organised by the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti, a traders' body. The hartal in Idukki district was called by the LDF in protest against his non-assent to the Kerala Government Lan

Kerala woman creates Guinness World Record, sings in over 100 languages

A Kerala woman has created a world record by singing in 140 languages in a Dubai concert on 24 November 2023. She shared the video on her Instagram handle

ED summons former Kerala minister Thomas Isaac in KIIFB masala bonds case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned senior Kerala CPI(M) leader Thomas Isaac for questioning in a FEMA case linked to probe into the alleged violations in the financial dealings of KIIFB during his tenure as the finance minister in the previous LDF government, official sources said Sunday. The 71-year-old politician has been asked to depose at the agency office in Kochi on January 12, they said. The central agency in December had informed the Kerala High Court that it has withdrawn the summons issued to Isaac. The submissions were made during hearing of a plea by Isaac and a KIIFB official alleging that only personal information was sought through the summons by ED and seeking quashing of the same. In view of the agency withdrawing the summons, the HC disposed of the petitions but at the same time, the court also said the ED was free to continue with its investigation in the matter. ED sources said the fresh summons to Isaac has been issued in light of the HC allowing the agen

India records 756 new Covid infections, active cases in country at 4,049

India has recorded 756 new cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection stood at 4,049, the health ministry said on Sunday. Five deaths -- two each from Kerala and Maharashtra and one from Jammu and Kashmir -- have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases began to again increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum increase in single day cases was reported on December 31, 2023 when 841 cases were reported, official sources said. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality," the sources stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past

Centre not hostile to TN on funds flow, even made advance payment: FM

The Centre was never hostile towards Tamil Nadu, Kerala or any other state on ensuring funds flow and had made advance payments and even released funds to foster infrastructure development, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Responding to a criticism from the DMK government that the central government was not disbursing funds or settling its share, she said from 2014 to 2023 the Centre received Rs 6.23 lakh crore as direct tax (income tax and corporate tax) from Tamil Nadu but gave back Rs 6.96 lakh crore to the state during the same period. "I will get the update on the current figures only in March. But as per the available statistics, from 2014 till 2022-23, Tamil Nadu's direct tax collection was Rs 6.23 lakh crore. But we gave Rs 6.96 lakh crore to the state," she said while speaking at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra programme here. "It is a wrong assumption that this Rs 6.23 lakh crore is paid only by the people of Tamil Nadu. Among them were ...

PM Modi arrives in Kavaratti to lay foundation stone of several projects

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a mass gathering of 200k women from various walks of life at the Bharatiya Janata Party's Mahila Conference in Thrissur Kerala on Wednesday

PM Modi to attend women empowerment programme in Kerala's Thrissur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to arrive in the central Kerala city of Thrissur on Wednesday to participate in a mass convention organised by the BJP's state unit, focusing on women's empowerment. Modi, who will travel from Lakshadweep to Kochi in the afternoon, is scheduled to conduct a roadshow in the city, known as the cultural capital of Kerala. Later, he will address a gathering of two lakh women at the expansive Thekkinkadu maidan. The event, titled 'Sthree Shakthi Modikkoppam' (Empowered Women with Modi), is intended to commend Modi for successfully passing the Women's Reservation Bill in both Houses of Parliament, according to party leaders. Women from diverse backgrounds, including anganwadi teachers, ASHA workers, entrepreneurs, artists, MGNREGA and neighbourhood network workers, as well as social and cultural activists, are expected to participate in the convention. The BJP state leadership recently said that a cross-section of women from Kerala would assemble in .

LIVE: 'Govt, transporters agreed workers will resume work immediately'

Catch all the latest LIVE updates from across the globe here

India reports 115 new JN.1 cases, marking highest single-day detection

These cases have been found across ten states and union territories, with Kerala reporting the maximum cases at 147. Goa (51 cases) and Gujarat (34 cases) followed Kerala

312 Covid sub-variant JN.1 cases detected in country, around 47% in Kerala

A total of 312 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country so far, with about 47 per cent of them recorded in Kerala, according to the INSACOG's data updated on Tuesday. Ten states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (147), Goa (51), Gujarat (34), Maharashtra (26), Tamil Nadu (22), Delhi (16), Karnataka (eight), Rajasthan (five), Telangana (two) and Odisha (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). The INSACOG's data showed 279 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 33 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a "low" global public health risk. The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 ...

PM Modi to address mass gathering of 200k women in Kerala on Wednesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a mass gathering of 2 lakh women in Thrissur on Wednesday, officially sounding the poll bugle for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Titled 'Sthree Shakthi Modikk Oppam' (Empower Women with Modi), the convention, to be held at the sprawling Thekkinkadu ground, is organised by the Kerala unit of the BJP to congratulate Modi for successfully passing the Women's Reservation Bill in both Houses of Parliament. Women from diverse backgrounds, including anganwadi teachers, ASHA workers, entrepreneurs, artists, MGNREGA and neighbourhood network workers, and social and cultural activists, are expected to participate in the event. Though the programme is planned as a mass meeting of women, it is viewed as the official launch of the poll campaign by the BJP for the upcoming general elections in its attempt to make political inroads in Kerala, which is currently dominated by CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF. The BJP state leadership recently made it

Centre to exempt Aadhaar-payment to MGNREGA workers in some cases

Work demand drops for a second month in Dec

Kerala CM launches K-SMART App for digital access to local govt services

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the K-SMART application here on Monday, aiming to provide digital access to services offered by local self-government bodies through a unified platform across the state. During the launch, the chief minister said that the government's objective is to leverage advanced technology for the improvement of various sectors in society. With the introduction of K-SMART (Kerala Solutions for Managing Administrative Reformation and Transformation), he said that services provided by local self-government bodies will now be available at citizens' fingertips. Developed by the Information Kerala Mission for the Department of Local Self-Government, the app will be initially implemented in corporations and municipalities across the state. The next phase will involve extending its reach to Gram Panchayats starting April 1, as announced by the government. Officials highlighted that the K-SMART will streamline local government services in Kerala wit

Covid sub-variant JN.1: Insacog says 196 cases detected in country

A total of 196 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country so far, with Odisha joining the list of states that have detected the presence of the variant, according to the INSACOG's data updated on Monday. Ten states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (83), Goa (51), Gujarat (34), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) Odisha (one) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). The INSACOG's data showed 179 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 17 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a "low" global public health risk. The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of ..

PM Modi to visit TN, Lakshadweep, Kerala on Jan 2-3, to attend programmes

Prime Minister Modi will Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu where he will attend the 38th Convocation Ceremony of Bharathidasan University. PM Modi is the Chief Guest for the event