Page 55 - Kerala

Centre strangulating Kerala by cutting down financial grants: Kerala FM

The ruling Left government in Kerala is now planning to rope in the Congress-led opposition to stage a joint protest against the Centre on this issue

Kerala proud to have the distinction of being the least corrupt state: CM

Kerala has the distinction of being the least corrupt state in the country but there are still "certain rots in service who are unable to change with time," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday. While inaugurating the state conference of Kerala police officers' association, Vijayan said those involved in corruption will be brought to justice. "Kerala is proud to have the distinction of being the least corrupt state in the country. But we cannot say that our government service is completely free from corruption. Why? Because there are certain rots in the services who are still unable to change with time. Such people are there in all services. We will not tolerate such people in any manner," Vijayan said. He said such "rots" are engaged in illegal matters and should be brought before justice. "Officials should oppose those who are corrupt in the service and inform such malpractices to higher authorities. That should be considered as a responsibility," he added. Vijayan .

Kerala FM lashes out at Centre for cutting state's borrowing limit by half

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Friday hit out at the BJP-led union government for cutting down the borrowing limit of the southern state by half and accused the Centre of "targetting" it. The minister said the state was expecting Rs 32,442 crores when the Centre had cut down the borrowing limit from 3.5 percent to 3 percent. But a recent letter from the central government has put the borrowing limit to Rs 15,390 crores, which is half of what Kerala is entitled to borrow, he alleged. "The move is part of the union government's political vendetta," Balagopal said. The Centre is denying the federal rights of a state, he further said and added that no reason was given for cutting down the borrowing limit by half. Expressing concern over whether the development would affect the budget plans of the southern state, he said people are going to suffer as the Centre is denting Kerala's rightful share. The union government has been cutting down funds to Kerala while providing upto

Unhealthy practices done in name of religion are to be prevented: Kerala HC

The contention that animal sacrifice is an essential and integral part of one's religious belief and cannot be interfered with even if it causes nuisance to others, has to be rejected, the Kerala High Court has said. Hearing a writ petition against the inaction of the authorities to stop the illegal slaughter of birds and animals in the guise of ritualistic sacrifice at a private residence here, Justice V Arun said such unhealthy, unscientific and deleterious practices are to be prevented, even if it is done in the name of religion. The court, in an order issued on May 24, directed the Ernakulam district panchayat, the revenue divisional officer, Ernakulam Rural SP and other officials to stop the activities carried out in a structure, resembling a temple, constructed by a private person on the second floor of his residential building, after conducting a probe, at Edathala Grama panchayat near Aluva here. "Going by the precedents and on a proper understanding of the rights under ...

The Kerala Story box office collection: Everything you need to know

'The Kerala Story' box office made in its first week at Rs 81.14 crore, and in its second week, it made Rs 90.58 crore. The film has collected around Rs 210 crore at the ticket counters

Family Health Centre opened in Kerala's Edamalakudi, first tribal panchayat

The Kerala government opened a family health centre at Edamalakudi, the first tribal panchayat in the southern state, on Thursday. The health centre was opened as part of the second 100 days programme of the CPI (M)-led LDF government, which completed two years in power on May 20. Officials said the facility has been made a reality by spending Rs 1.25 crore. Health Minister Veena George, who inaugurated the family health centre, said the facility was established in the tribal panchayat as part of the government's policy to provide quality treatment and health services for all. She said the government is committed to ensuring better health infrastructure and services to the people. Edamalakudy is the first tribal panchayat of the state and is located about 30 kilometres away from the tourist town of Munnar in Idukki district.

Kerala CM Vijayan declares state as fully e-governed; first in country

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday declared the southern state as India's first fully e-governed state where an entire range of government services have been digitised so that they can be provided to the citizens promptly and transparently. The Chief Minister, after declaring the state as totally e-governed, said it would not only create a network of government offices and citizens, but would use technology for Kerala's development and empower the people by bridging the digital divide. It would also fast track the journey towards a knowledge society and economy with total e-literacy, he said at the 'Total e-Governance Kerala' event held here. "By the term governance what the present government means is total commitment to fulfil the promises it has made to the people. The government and governance are reaching out to the people more and more, he said. "The service delivery has been made people-oriented and corruption-free and public utilities have become ...

Kerala makes history, becomes India's first fully e-governed state

The state will also roll out the Kerala Fibre Optic Network shortly, which will make access to the internet affordable/free

There are some in govt service who have doctorate in corruption: Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said there were some persons in the government service who have a "doctorate" in corruption and that the problem can be addressed only by a collective effort, including by those working with such individuals. Vijayan said that the LDF government's stand was that there would be no compromise where corrupt activities are concerned and those engaged in it would not be protected. Therefore, while stringent measures are being taken by the government and the vigilance, even the concerned departments and those working with such persons -- who are engaged in corrupt practices -- should also intervene. The CM was referring to the recent arrest of a field assistant at Palakkayam village in Palakkad district of the state for allegedly accepting a bribe. Cash and bank deposits documents worth over Rs 1 crore were allegedly recovered during a search from his rented accommodation. Vijayan said that the official in question was allegedly using t

Kerala has one of the best records in upholding workers' rights: CM Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday highlighted the steps taken by the state in upholding the rights of workers and claimed that it has one of the best records in the global south in this regard. Inaugurating the International Labour Conclave here, Vijayan said Kerala has been exceptional in protecting and advancing workers' rights, which has been waning worldwide. "In terms of providing decent employment, forming unions, workers' cooperatives, welfare boards and pension schemes, and ensuring inclusivity and the protection of migrant rights, Kerala has evolved as a role model. We comply with the main principles of the ILO (International Labour Organisation), including the tripartite structure, in which the government, employers, and employees meet to resolve disputes," the Chief Minister said. The three-day International Labour Conclave is being organised by the Labour Department in association with the State Planning Board. He said that since 1957, when Kerala's fi

Kerala approves Rs 1 lakh per month honorarium for representative in Delhi

The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala on Wednesday approved an honorarium of Rs one lakh per month for its Cabinet rank special representative and expelled Congress leader K V Thomas, in New Delhi. The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Besides the honorarium, the Cabinet also allowed Thomas to hire two assistants, one office attendant and one driver. Thomas was appointed as the Kerala government's special representative in New Delhi after he was sacked by Congress for his alleged anti-party activities. The Congress had taken the extreme step against former Union Minister Thomas soon after the veteran shared the stage with Vijayan in a by-poll meeting of the Left party-led front in Kochi in May 2022. The other decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting included allowing continuation of 81 temporary batches in plus one admissions and 30 per cent increase in marginal seats in higher secondary schools in the State in the current .

All 1,284 registered Kerala tribal hamlets to be digitally connected soon

At a meeting with the top BSNL officials on Wednesday, the state Minister for SC/ST, K.Radhakrishnan assured to provide appropriate land for the purpose

Kerala's midday meal 'improbable', joint team to examine reality: Centre

The Centre has decided to form a joint team of officials from the Ministry of Education and the Kerala government to examine the "improbable" claims made by the state about almost 100 per cent of enrolled students in primary availing mid-day meal on a daily basis in 2022-23. The issue was flagged during a meeting of the Programme Approval Board (PAB) of the PM POSHAN scheme, formerly known as the mid-day meal scheme. Earlier this year also, the Centre had constituted a 'joint review mission' (JRM) on the implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme PM POSHAN in West Bengal following similar complaints of alleged irregularities. All 14 districts in Kerala had claimed that 100 per cent students in the Bal Vatika (below class 1) primary section have been receiving mid-day meals. "PAB observed that in the districts as mentioned in the above tables, almost 100 pc of the enrolled children in the primary have been shown as availed school meal on all working days. "This seems highly

Kerala to shift to an e-governance system from Thursday, says govt

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will on Thursday declare the state as fully e-governed' where delivery of government services would be digitised, transparent and fast. The declaration of Kerala as India's total e-governed state' would be a major step in the southern state's journey towards a knowledge based society and economy, besides achieving cent per cent digital literacy, a government release said. This unique achievement, which comes decades after Kerala became the first fully literate Indian state and began its quest to become a fully e-literate society, has been realised through a set of visionary policy initiatives of the government seeking to transform the state into a digitally empowered society, the release said. The achievement would enable online delivery of a whole range of government services by leveraging state-of-the-art technology and platforms to build a single window service delivery mechanism called e-Sevanam which integrates more than 800 government ...

Kerala: Board restricts RSS from holding mass drills in temple premises

According to the circular issued by the TDB, the board re-issued the order after noticing that RSS branches functioning on its temple premises

Smriti Irani to inaugurate women labourers convention in Kerala on Monday

The Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), a trade union backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), will be holding a state-level women's labour convention here on Monday which will be inaugurated by Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani. Besides Irani, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan would also be speaking at the event, BMS Kerala said in a release. Around 3,000 women workers and labourers are expected to take part in the convention, it said. The trade union also said 2,000 seminars would be held across the country and out of those 200 would be held in Kerala. BMS further said that this year it has been accorded the chair of Labour-20 (L20) which is one of the G20 Engagement Groups.

Party in power at Centre concerned about itself, rather than nation: Cong

The Congress in Kerala on Sunday lashed out at the BJP, alleging that the party in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself rather than the country, a sharp contrast to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who put the nation first before everything. The view was expressed by veteran Congress leader and former Union Defence Minister A K Antony while speaking on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary. "When he (Rajiv Gandhi) was Prime Minister he put the country first before the interests of the party. However, the party (BJP) in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself than the nation. "They are not concerned if the country burns, if there is communal violence or if there is any other form of unrest. They are only concerned with ensuring they remain in power," Antony alleged at the remembrance ceremony held at Indira Bhavan here. He claimed that when Rajiv Gandhi was PM, he ensured peace in Punjab, Assam and Mizoram at the cost of the Congress's power in

Kerala HC grants bail to man accused of 2 rape attempts on consecutive days

The Kerala High Court granted bail on stringent conditions, to an accused who allegedly attempted to commit rape on a nurse.

Congress lays siege to Kerala Secretariat on Left govt's 2nd anniversary

Amid state-wide programmes being organised by the LDF government in Kerala to mark its second anniversary, the Congress-led UDF on Saturday laid a massive siege to the Secretariat here, the administrative hub, against the alleged misrule and corruption of the Left dispensation. Hundreds of UDF workers including women from various districts arrived in the state capital and positioned themselves near the Secretariat complex, located in the heart of the city. Senior UDF leaders and MLAs led the siege and took part in the protest along with the ordinary party workers alleging that the CPI(M)-led government had no right to continue anymore. KPCC chief K Sudhakaran, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan, senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, UDF Convenor M M Hassan and IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty were among those who took part in the siege. The Left government had no right to celebrate the anniversary as it has only provided misery to the people of Kerala, they .

LDF Govt comes out with "Real Kerala Story" ad on 2nd anniversary day

The LDF government in Kerala, which completes two years in power on Saturday, came out with an advertisement picking on the title of controversial film "The Kerala Story" claiming the state was celebrating "The Real Kerala Story" of social harmony and progressive values under its rule. In a tweet carrying the advertisement released in major national dailies, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said by embracing social justice, his government drives inclusive development that empowers all. "On Kerala Government's second anniversary, we celebrate the #RealKeralaStory, where dreams flourish and humanity thrives," the CM tweeted. The Hindi film, released across the country recently, had faced charges of depicting Kerala in poor light. In the "Real Kerala Story" advertisement, the government describes Kerala as a "jewel in India's crown" and a "beacon of progressive ideals." The picture of CM Vijayan is featured in the advertisement along with that of people representing various sections o