Page 9 - Kerala

Proud moment: Kerala CM hails state's top ranking in Ease of Doing Business

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hailed the state's repeated success in the national Ease of Doing Business rankings as a "proud moment", attributing the achievement to efficient governance and a focus on innovation. In an 'X' post on Tuesday night, the CM said the achievement reaffirms "our steady progress" in creating an investor-friendly ecosystem. "A proud moment as #Kerala shines again in the Ease of Doing Business rankings. Once more, the State has been placed in the top Fast Mover category in the Business Reforms Action Plan & Reduction of Compliance Burden, reaffirming our steady progress in creating an investor-friendly ecosystem," Vijayan said. With 99.3 per cent reforms implemented, up from 91 per cent last year, Kerala continues to lead through efficient governance, teamwork, and a strong focus on innovation-driven growth, he added in the post. After receiving the honour from Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in New Delhi, State Industries ...

High-powered panel grants approval to various projects under Nabard's RIDF

A high-powered committee headed by the Kerala chief secretary has granted in-principle approval to infrastructure development projects worth Rs 1,441 crore in the state under tranche 31 of NABARD's Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), the Chief Minister's Office said on Saturday. The National Bank For Agriculture And Rural Development's (NABARD) RIDF tranches are annual allocations of funds for rural infrastructure development in India. The approvals granted to the various projects were announced in a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Saturday. The CMO statement said that various projects were recommended, considering the normative allocation of Rs 550 crore under RIDF tranche 31. Projects worth Rs 159.64 crore, which include the creation of Rapid Response Teams, construction of forest station complexes and infrastructure development of forest offices, have been approved for the Forest Department, it said. The Electricity Department has been sanctio

Ernakulam-Bengaluru Vande Bharat launched, first to link 3 southern states

The Ernakulam-KSR Bengaluru Vande Bharat, one of the four trains that Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off on Saturday, is the first inter-state semi-high-speed premium train service linking Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, the Southern Railways said. Since it links three states, the train will boost business and tourism, officials said. The eight-coach train traverses major cities of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, including Thrissur, Palakkad, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, before reaching Krishnarajapuram and KSR Bengaluru. It is the third Vande Bharat train that originates from Kerala. "KSR Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express will provide seamless connectivity between Ernakulam, the commercial capital of Kerala and the cosmopolitan city of Bengaluru," a press note from Southern Railway said. "The existing two Vande Bharat services, between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram (via Kottayam), and Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru Central (via Alappuzha) intertwine the southern

Statsguru: Kerala outshines others in literacy and poverty reduction

Kerala marks a social milestone with zero extreme poverty and world-class human development metrics - but weak job creation and industry remain its Achilles' heel

Kerala govt sanctions ₹377.8 cr to repair Sabarimala pilgrimage routes

With the annual mandalam-makaravilakku pilgrimage in Sabarimala set to begin in a few days, the Kerala government said it sanctioned Rs 377.8 crore for the renovation of various roads used by Ayyappa devotees. The amount has been allocated for 82 roads across 10 districts, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal said on Sunday. While Rs 68.90 crore has been sanctioned for 14 roads in Thiruvananthapuram and Rs 54.20 crore for the renovation of 15 roads in Kollam, Rs 40.20 crore has been earmarked for the repair of six roads in Pathanamthitta, where the hill shrine is located, he said in a statement. According to the minister, the allocations for other districts are as follows: Rs 36 crore for nine roads in Alappuzha, Rs 35.20 crore for eight roads in Kottayam, Rs 35.10 crore for five roads in Idukki, Rs 32.42 crore for eight roads in Ernakulam, Rs 44 crore for 11 roads in Thrissur, Rs 27.30 crore for five roads in Palakkad, and Rs 4.50 crore for one road in Malappuram. The state ...

Educational reality show to spotlight school excellence in Kerala

Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) is set to launch the fourth edition of its unique-in-India educational reality show, 'Haritha Vidyalayam,' this December. KITE is the technical arm of the state General Education Department. Haritha Vidyalayam is a pioneering initiative aims to showcase the achievements and best practices of the state's public education sector on a national platform, officials said in a statement here on Sunday. Government and aided schools are invited to apply for this edition by November 15. Applications are sought separately for primary schools and high school/higher secondary school categories. K Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE, said schools will be selected for the preliminary round based on various crucial parameters, including academic and co-curricular activities, infrastructural facilities, social participation, digital education integration, recognised accolades, and unique, innovative school-specific activities. "The primary objective o

Kerala fares better than US on various social indicators: CM Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday claimed that the state fares much better than the United States of America on various social indicators, like maternal and infant mortality rates, and termed it as "the real Kerala story". Vijayan, speaking after announcing the eradication of extreme poverty from the state at a public event here, said that it was a fact that Kerala's infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate are lower than those in the US. "This is no small achievement. How did our state, with a GDP of just USD 167.90 billion, surpass the economic giant with a GDP of USD 30.51 trillion? We only have 0.55 percent of their GDP. Yet we managed to surpass America. This is the 'real Kerala story'," he said. Vijayan said that 22.3 mothers lose their lives per 100,000 births in the United States, while in Kerala it is 18. "In Kerala, there are five infant deaths per thousand births. In the United States, it is 5.6. While Kerala is far ahead with a literacy rate of

Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan to visit Kerala from November 3-4

This will be the Vice President's maiden visit to Kerala after assuming office

Kerala shows poverty can be eradicated with collective effort: CM Vijayan

Kerala is set to be declared the first state to eliminate extreme poverty, an achievement driven by coordinated efforts, as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan explains in an interview to the media

Hockey player Manuel Frederick, Kerala's 1st Olympic medallist, dies at 78

Manuel Frederick, the first person from Kerala to win an Olympic hockey medal, died in a Bengaluru hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for cancer, on Friday morning, family sources said. He was 78. Frederick, who hailed from Kannur district of Kerala, was the goalkeeper of the Indian team that won the bronze medal by defeating Holland in the 1972 Munich Olympics. He played for the Indian team for seven years and was honoured with the Dhyan Chand Award in 2019 for his contributions to sports. He also has the distinction of being the goalkeeper who helped his team win 16 national championships in tiebreakers. Frederick started as a striker in football and a goalkeeper in hockey. He became active in hockey through the St. Michael's School team in Kannur. Born on October 20, 1947, Frederick played in the Bombay Gold Cup at the age of 17 and played his first international match for India in 1971. He is survived by his two daughters.

Bride's father wears QR code shirt to receive cash gifts at Kerala wedding

A father replaced the traditional gift envelopes with technology at his daughter's wedding - wearing a Paytm QR code on his shirt so guests could send their blessings digitally

Cabinet sub-committee on PM SHRI meant to deceive CPI, says Satheesan

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan claimed on Thursday that the government's move to form a cabinet sub-committee to examine the PM SHRI scheme after signing its MoU was an attempt to "deceive" the ruling LDF constituent CPI. He argued that the committee should have been formed beforehand. Satheesan was referring to the CPI(M)-led Left government's decision a day ago to put on hold the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme after facing stiff resistance from its ally, the Communist Party of India (CPI). The government has also decided to constitute a seven-member cabinet sub-committee to study the implementation of the scheme, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said on Wednesday. Satheesan claimed that the CPI(M) was "deceiving" its coalition partner, the CPI, by such decisions. "Forming a cabinet sub-committee to study the scheme and its implementation should have been done before signing the Memorandum of ...

Kerala eyes $50 billion IT value by 2031 with new digital vision plan

The draft IT Vision 2031 aims to generate 5 lakh jobs, attract Rs 20,000 crore in startup investments, and make Kerala a global hub for ethical and sustainable technology

Heavy rain, strong winds lash Kerala; fisherman killed as boat capsizes

Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed several districts across Kerala on Monday, causing waterlogging in low-lying areas, officials said. In Alappuzha district, a fisherman died after his boat capsized near the Arthunkal coast following a strong wind. Police said that the deceased is Paul Devasia, a native of Arthunkal. He went out for fishing early in the morning, and though other fishermen rescued him from the water, he later died, police said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Kozhikode, Kasaragod, and Kannur districts, indicating the possibility of rainfall of 115.6 mm to 204 mm within 24 hours. A yellow alert has also been issued for Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kottayam, and Alappuzha districts, where rainfall of 64.5-115.5 mm is likely. The IMD further warned of strong winds across all districts in the state. Officials said heavy rain was reported in the northern districts since early morning, l

One dead, 49 injured after tourist bus overturns in Kerala's Kottayam

A woman passenger died and 49 others were injured after a tourist bus lost control and overturned at Cheenkallel here in the early hours of Monday, police said. The deceased has been identified as Sindhu, a native of Peravoor in Iritty, Kannur district. According to the police, all passengers were from Iritty and were returning home after visiting Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram. The accident occurred around 1 am when the bus, while negotiating a curve on the MC Road stretch near Cheenkallel Church, lost control, overturned, and crashed into a tree. All 49 passengers on board were taken to a private hospital in Monippally and the Kottayam Medical College Hospital. Sindhu, who was rushed to Monippally, succumbed to her injuries. Police said around 18 passengers sustained serious injuries, though their condition is stable. The overturned bus was later removed using a crane to clear the traffic disruption. Kuravilangadu police have registered a case against the driver, Vinod, fo

Kerala will be free of extreme poverty on Nov 1: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said that on November 1, when Kerala celebrates its formation or 'Piravi' day, it will be declared as the first state in the country without extreme poverty. Vijayan, in a post on social media platform X, said it would be the fulfilment of the first decision taken by the state government in 2021 when the LDF regime came to power for a consecutive second term. "Instead of a one-size-fits-all policy, the government identified 64,006 vulnerable families and created specific micro-plans for each one's unique needs," he said in the post. The CM further said that with an investment of over Rs 1,000 crore, the government has ensured daily food to 20,648 families with 2,210 of those receiving hot meals, necessary treatment and medicine to 85,721 individuals and housing for thousands. He said that more than 5,400 new homes were built or are under construction, 5,522 homes were repaired and 2,713 landless families received land to build their ...

Not just CPI, entire Kerala kept in dark on PM SHRI MoU: Congress leader

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the CPI(M) and Chief Minister Pinarayi VIjayan kept the whole of Kerala, and not just its ally CPI, in the dark while signing the PM SHRI Schools MoU and alleged that there was some "conspiracy" behind it. Congress leader Satheesan claimed that the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme MoU was signed on October 16, less than a week after the CM met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 10, but was not informed to the state cabinet when it met on October 22. He said that Vijayan needs to disclose what alleged pressure or blackmailing from the Centre forced them to sign the MoU so "secretively". "The MoU was signed secretively without any information to its allies or the state cabinet. Even CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby and LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan were unaware," the opposition leader claimed. Satheesan said that all this indicated that the CM and state General Education ...

Heavy rains raise levels of dams, trigger mudslides in parts of Kerala

Heavy rains continued to lash parts of Kerala on Saturday leading to rise in water level of dams in Palakkad, Idukki and Thrissur districts. The rains also led to minor mudslides in parts of rural areas of Thiruvananthapuram district, causing damage to homes. Water levels in Walayar, Malampuzha, Moolathara, and Chuliyar in Palakkad dams approached their maximum storage capacities, prompting authorities to open the shutters by several centimetres. Water levels reached the 'red alert' status in various dams, including Ponmudi and Madupetty, in Idukki and 'orange alert' status in Sholayar dam in Thrissur. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department informed that it would be releasing surplus water from the Periyar Dam. It said that two radial surplus shutters of Periyar dam R2 and R3 will be opened to one meter by 12 noon and five vertical surplus shutters V1, V2, V3, V4 and V5 will remain open at 1.5 meters The present discharge of water from the dam is 1780 cusecs (Cubic

Sabarimala gold theft case: SIT conducts searches in Ballari, Bengaluru

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the loss of gold from the Sabarimala temple conducted searches at the apartment of prime accused Unnikrishnan Potty in Bengaluru and at a jewellery shop in Ballari, officials said on Saturday. Potty was taken to Bengaluru as part of the investigation on Friday. Sources said the SIT searched the jewellery shop owned by Govardhan, who reportedly funded the gold-plating work of the temple's Sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) door frame, which was officially sponsored by Potty. Officials said the SIT seized several gold bars from the jewellery shop. However, it is yet to be confirmed whether the seized gold was extracted from the gold-clad copper plates of the Dwarapalaka (guardian deity) idols that were sent for electroplating in 2019, they added. The SIT has already recorded Govardhan's statement as part of the probe. Meanwhile, the team also searched Potty's apartment at Srirampura, Bengaluru, and visited an Ayyappa temple there, where he had

Datanomics: Kerala set to become India's first extreme poverty-free state

But its definition of extreme poverty was based on a lower floor of earning than the World Bank's