Page 44 - Kerala

Justice Fathima Beevi, India's first woman judge of Supreme Court, dies

Kerala's Health Minister Veena George condoled her death by saying that the demise of Justice Beevi was extremely painful

Kerala govt gives approval for BPCL's waste treatment plant in Kochi

The Kerala government on Wednesday accorded sanction to set up a compressed biogas plant project by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), with the objective of finding a permanent solution to the organic waste issue in Kochi, the commercial hub of the state. A cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, took the decision amidst their ongoing tour as part of the 'Nava Kerala' outreach programme in northern Thalassery, a CMO statement said here. For the project, 10 acres of land in Brahmapuram owned by the Kochi Corporation, would be handed over to the BPCL, it said. A treatment plant capable of treating 150 metric tonnes of waste per day would be set up on this land, and the compressed biogas produced there would be used by the central PSU. The construction cost is estimated to be Rs 150 crore, which would be borne by the BPCL, it said. Water and electricity, required for the construction of the plant, would be provided at a lower cost, the CMO statement ...

SC seeks reply of Centre on Kerala's plea alleging delay in clearing bills

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and the office of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on a plea of the state government accusing him of not granting assent to several bills cleared by the legislative assembly. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate K K Venugopal, alleging delay on the part of the governor in granting assent to eight bills. The top court also issued a notice to Attorney General R Venkataramani asking that either he or Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assist it in the hearing. The court will now hear the Kerala government's plea on Friday. "This is an endemic situation. The governors do not realise that they are part of the legislature under Article 168 of the Constitution," Venugopal said. In its plea, the state of Kerala claimed that Governor Khan is delaying the consideration of eight bills that have been passed by the state assembly. "Mr

Tamil Nadu, Kerala pleas on 'delay' by governor in Supreme Court on Monday

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday two separate pleas of the Tamil Nadu and Kerala governments, alleging a delay by the respective state governors in giving assent to bills passed by the assemblies. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is scheduled to hear the pleas. The Tamil Nadu Assembly re-adopted 10 bills in a special sitting on Saturday, days after those were returned by Governor R N Ravi. The bills, covering different departments, including law, agriculture and higher education, were passed in the wake of Ravi returning those on November 13. The re-adopted bills were later sent to the governor for his assent. On November 10, describing the alleged delay by the Tamil Nadu governor in giving assent to the bills as a "matter of serious concern", the top court sought the Centre's response on the state government's petition accusing the Raj Bhawan of "sitting over" 12 legislations. Issuing notice to the Centre, the top

Centre trying to create economic crisis in Kerala; Cong a spectator: CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday accused the BJP-ruled Centre of trying to destroy the federal structure and creating an economic crisis in the southern state through its various policies and blamed the Congress-led UDF of being a silent spectator to the same. Alleging neglect and discrimination on the part of the Central government towards Kerala, Vijayan said it was getting this treatment despite achieving unprecedented gains in tax collection, domestic production and infrastructure development. Speaking during the Nava Kerala Sadas at the Uduma constituency here in the evening, the CM said that the Union government through its various policies was "financially strangulating the Left government" since it came into power back in 2016. "At the same time, the Congress and the UDF opposition led by it were being a mute spectator to this discrimination. Why this hesitancy in speaking out against the actions of the Centre which are against the state and its people?" he .

Everything about Nimisha Priya, Indian nurse sentenced to death in Yemen

Nimisha Priya has been convicted for the murder of Talal Abdo Mahdi, a Yemeni citizen

Kerala Tourism Investors Meet secures over Rs 15,000 cr in post-Covid boost

The Kerala government said on Friday that the first-ever Tourism Investors Meet (TIM) organised by it a day ago has significantly boosted the state government's travel and hospitality initiatives in the post-pandemic era. The event resulted in investment offers amounting to Rs 15,116.65 crore in the core sector. This includes a memorandum of understanding that Kerala Tourism signed with Tamara Leisure Experiences for a Rs 250-crore houseboat hotel project, which the Bengaluru-based hospitality group will execute in Alappuzha and Kannur districts, according to a Kerala Tourism release. TIM 2023 saw the participation of nearly 500 investors and entrepreneurs, including 46 startups and 118 investors from the Responsible Tourism sector. A total of 75 projects were presented, of which 52 were from the private sector. They contributed to the investment offers. Besides 23 projects proposed by the Tourism Department, 16 projects were mooted as public-private partnerships. "Together, the 39

CM Vijayan holds MPs meet ahead of Parliament to raise Kerala's problems

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday held an online meeting with MPs from Kerala urging them to highlight various issues, particularly the financial crisis, affecting the state during the upcoming Parliament session. In the meeting, a unanimous decision emerged to raise issues in the Parliament related to the removal of revenue subsidy due to the state, cancellation of GST compensation and non-payment of arrears of compensation. According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), another important agenda discussed in the meeting was that the Centre should withdraw from its move to reduce the borrowing limits of the state. "In this context, it was unanimously decided in the meeting to visit the concerned Union Ministers to raise the credit limit of Kerala as per the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission," the statement said. The other issues which the MPs decided to jointly raise in the Parliament were -- the delay in security clearance to the ...

Kerala Ports Minister faces flak from fishermen over compensation

Kerala Ports Minister Ahammed Devarkovil on Wednesday faced opposition from a group of people while attending an event at Kovalam here related to compensating fishermen in connection with the Vizhinjam port project. A small crowd of fishermen who were dissatisfied with the list of compensation beneficiaries had gathered outside the event venue and prevented his vehicle from entering there, an officer of Kovalam police station said. "The police acted swiftly to prevent any untoward incident, cleared the crowd and ensured the minister's vehicle entered the venue," the officer said. The officer also said that the minister attended the event and then left without any further incident. No case was registered in connection with the incident nor was anyone taken into custody, police said. The Vizhinjam port is being constructed, at a cost of Rs 7,700 crore, under the public-private partnership model. The Adani Group is the private partner in the development of what will become one of th

Kerala govt announces Rs 5 lakh aid to kin of Kalamassery blast victims

The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to provide financial assistance of Rs five lakh each to the families of those who had lost their lives in a blast at a religious gathering in Kalamassery near Kochi last month. A cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, decided to grant the relief amount from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, a CMO statement said here. Additionally, support will be extended to cover medical expenses for the injured persons receiving treatment, even in private hospitals, it said. Five persons were killed and over 50 were injured, some seriously, during the multiple blasts at a religious gathering in an international convention centre in Kalamassery, on October 29. They had gathered for the final day of a three-day-long prayer meeting of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Kerala CM warns against forces who try to destroy cooperative sector

Kerala Chief Minister a Vijayan on Tuesday cautioned against "some forces" who have been on a "mission" for some time to destroy the cooperative sector in the state, and alleged that their real agenda is to divert the funds in the sector to help big corporates. Both the public and cooperative sectors had enjoyed great prominence in the country during the post-independence period, but the situation changed after the nation embraced globalisation, he said. Since then, the country has been witnessing several moves to destroy the cooperative sector, and it is still continuing, he said. Vijayan was speaking after inaugurating the Sahakarana Varaghosham (loosely translated as Cooperative Week Celebrations) programme here. "Though the cooperative sector in Kerala is very strong, some forces are on a mission to destroy its foundation, sabotage the state's economy, and push the lives of ordinary people into misery," he said. The attempt to destroy the cooperative sector is not a sudden mov

Kerala CM Vijayan calls for action to ensure safety of Palestinian children

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday emphasised the government's responsibility to protect the rights of children and called for concerted efforts to address the plight of Palestinian children affected in the ongoing conflict with Israel. In a Facebook post on the occasion of Children's Day commemorating the birthday of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, the chief minister underscored the dire situation faced by Palestinian children amid the war. He urged collective action to ensure their safety and facilitate their rehabilitation. Vijayan said that the availability of nutritious food, healthcare, and quality education are the inherent rights of every child born in the world. Safeguarding these rights is a fundamental responsibility of governments, he said. Highlighting the vision of the architects of the Constitution, including Nehru, the chief minister said that they envisioned an India where violence and exploitation against children would be ...

IMD predicts heavy rainfall in southern states, orange alert in Kerala

IMD has anticipated rainfall in southern states this week. This includes Tamil Nadu, Kerala, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Karaikal, and Rayalaseema on 14 and 15 November

Kerala startup launches first e-health kiosk for better healthcare access

A Kerala-based startup has launched a first-of-its kind digital health kiosk that claims to provide basic diagnostics like blood pressure, blood sugar and heart conditions instantly with utmost accuracy in multiple languages and at extremely low prices. Prognosis, the kiosk, launched by Versicles Technologies, is equipped with a touch screen that offers video instructions to users to receive accurate readings. It aims to make healthcare facilities more easily accessible. The company in a release said the kiosk has machines that measure a user's blood pressure, blood sugar, heart conditions (ECG monitor), temperature (wireless Bluetooth thermometer) and weight. "The kiosk, which provides multilingual instructions through an AI-based voice bot, also features a resting bench where one can comfortably sit during the tests," it said. The kiosk (myprognosis.ai/kiosk) provides results in just under a minute, and also offers immediate recommendations if irregularities are detected in an ..

Kerala farmer ends life due to financial crisis; Guv, Oppn criticise govt

A farmer ended his life in the Kuttanad region in this southern district on Saturday allegedly due to financial problems as he did not get payment for paddy procurement. A suicide note, purportedly written by the farmer K G Prasad, accusing the Left government and some banks of being responsible for him taking the extreme step, triggered a political row in the state. Governor Arif Muhammed Khan, who visited a hospital in nearby Thiruvalla where the deceased man's mortal remains were kept, said farmers have been facing a huge crisis in the state and his "heart goes out to Prasad's family". Expressing deep grief over the death, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan alleged that the government failed in paddy procurement and payments for farmers were due for months. The 55-year-old Prasad, a paddy farmer hailing from Ambedkar Colony in Thakazhi here, had consumed poison on Friday night, police said. Though he was admitted to a hospital in Thiruvalla, he died in the wee

Ruling LDF to hold agitation against 'negligence' of Centre towards Kerala

Kerala's ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) on Friday announced its decision to take the fight against the alleged negligence of the BJP-ruled Centre towards the state's development needs to New Delhi. The agitation, scheduled for January next year, aims to highlight the challenges faced by the state on the financial front due to what the CPI(M)-led alliance alleges as the Centre's negligence. LDF Convenor E P Jayarajan said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with his Cabinet colleagues, Left MLAs, MPs, and other leaders, will participate in the protest. This move is seen as the LDF's political narrative against the BJP-led NDA in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Speaking after a meeting of LDF leaders at the CPI(M) headquarters here, Jayarajan criticised the Central government for neglecting Kerala across various sectors. He alleged that the state was facing financial difficulties due to the Centre's policies. "The state is not receiving the benefits it deserves, with Rs 5

Ex-Kerala Cong chief received bank fraud proceeds through farming biz: ED

K K Abraham, a former general secretary of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), got "profit share" from a ginger farming enterprise run along with his alleged associate and an accused in a loan fraud in a Kerala-based cooperative bank, the Enforcement Directorate claimed Friday. Abraham was arrested by the federal probe agency in Kerala on November 7. The case pertains to an alleged loan fraud of Rs 5.62 crore at the Pulpally Service Cooperative Bank located at Pulpally in Wayanad district. The criminal case filed by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) stems from an FIR of the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) against the governing body members and officials of the bank. The central agency alleged Abraham was the "overall in-charge of the bank as president who played a key role in sanctioning various loans by overvaluing the properties to the applicants." The ED probe found, the agency said in a statement, that bank officials and it

Bomb threat to Kerala Secretariat; police carries out thorough searches

Police on Thursday carried out a thorough search of the state Secretariat, the administrative complex here, after receiving a bomb threat. According to sources, a threatening call claiming that explosives would be detonated within the Secretariat complex was received at the police control room. In immediate response, police personnel, aided by sniffer dogs, conducted thorough searches both inside and outside the Secretariat premises. Even parked vehicles and nearby shops were not exempted from scrutiny. Unconfirmed reports say that the perpetrator behind the call has been identified by the police.

ED arrests Ex-KPCC general secy in cooperative bank fraud case in Kerala

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) former general secretary, K K Abraham, has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged loan scam that occurred during his tenure as president of a service cooperative bank in Wayanad district. Abraham was taken into custody on Tuesday night in connection with the Pulpally Service Cooperative bank scam, according to official sources. He was subsequently presented before a court on Wednesday, they said without elaborating. ED initiated a probe after receiving multiple allegations of financial irregularities within the bank during Abraham's time as president of the institution's governing body. The victims had approached the ED seeking probe into the scam. One of the victims of the scam had died by suicide a few months ago. Prior to the ED action, Abraham had been arrested by the Vigilance wing of the Kerala police following a cheating complaint filed by an elderly couple.

Kerala's Technopark records software exports worth Rs 11,630 cr for FY23

Kerala's pioneer IT hub Technopark here has reported a remarkable surge in software export revenue for the financial year 2022-23. The organization saw a substantial increase of Rs 1,855 crores in export revenue, registering a 19 per cent growth compared to the previous fiscal year, a statement said here on Wednesday. Also, the Technopark has consistently maintained an A+ stable rating from CRISIL (Credit Rating Information Service of India Limited) for the last three years, underscoring its robust financial performance and seamless transactions. The campus spread over 768.63 acres with 11.22 million sq. ft of built up space, currently hosts 72,000 employees across 486 companies. In the last financial year, 46 companies opened new IT/ITeS offices in Technopark and during that time, Technopark's software export revenue from 465 companies was Rs 9,775 crores, it said. This fiscal year it has reached Rs 11,630 crores, which is an excellent growth curve. Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), CEO