Page 12 - Pinarayi Vijayan

Kerala blast: Amit Shah speaks to Kerala CM; NSG, NIA teams being sent

One person died and over 20 were injured in a blast at a convention centre in Kalamassery here on Sunday morning, police said. An officer of Kalamassery police said the cause of the blast or whether there was more than one was not confirmed. The blast reportedly occurred at a convention centre of a Christian group. He said a call was received around 9 am about the blast and seeking police assistance. Visuals of the incident on TV channels showed fire rescue and police personnel in large numbers evacuating people from the site. Disturbing visuals of the blast inside the convention centre showed multiple fires inside the hall as people were screaming in fear. Hundreds of people were seen outside the convention centre post the explosion.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan flags-in first ever ship into Vizhinjam port

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday flagged-in the first ever ship at the Rs 7,700 crore deep-water international Vizhinjam port here. Vijayan, joined by Leader of Opposition in the assembly V D Satheesan, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and various state ministers, waved a green flag signalling the tugboats to push the huge Chinese ship -- Zhen Hua 15 -- from the wharf to the docking yard. The tugboats pushing the vessel, which carries huge ship-to-shore and yard cranes, also gave it a water salute. As the vessel touched the dock, firecrackers were burst and balloons released to welcome it. Hundreds of people, across all age groups, arrived at the port area to see the ship arrive at the dock. Zhen Hua 15 -- which began its journey from China at the end of August, was scheduled to dock at Vizhinjam on October 4, but its journey got delayed due to bad weather conditions along its route. On reaching Indian coastal wate

Kerala CM launches 7 mega projects at Cochin International Airport

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday inaugurated seven "mega projects" at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) here. The chief minister launched the operation of the Import Cargo Terminal, DigiYatra software and Airport Emergency Services at the international airport at an event held at CIAL. He also launched the projects for the first phase of the expansion of Terminal 3, the '0484' luxury aero lounge, an intrusion detection system at the airport and golf resorts. Addressing the gathering, Vijayan said Kerala is showing the public an alternative when even the strategic public sector undertakings in the country, including airports, are being privatised in the country. "We are living at a time when even the strategic public sector undertakings in this country are being privatised. But in Kerala, the public sector undertakings are being protected and are prospering. We even took over the public sector undertakings that the Centre had put up for sale," Vijayan said.

Kerala CM to inaugurate seven 'mega projects' at CIAL on October 2

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate seven "mega projects" at the international airport here on Monday, Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) said. The airport authority said the chief minister will inaugurate the operation of the Import Cargo Terminal, DigiYatra software and Airport Emergency Services at CIAL. He will also launch the projects for the first phase of the expansion of Terminal 3, the '0484' luxury aero lounge, an intrusion detection system at the airport and the Golf Resorts. In a Facebook post, Vijayan said the aero lounge will consist of 42 luxury guest rooms, a restaurant, mini conference hall, board room, gym, spa among other facilities. "Once fully operational, with a massive area of 50,000 sq. ft., it will become the biggest lounge facility in the country," Vijayan said. He said the Airport Fire and Rescue force is being upgraded to Airport Emergency Services with the inclusion of two Austrian-made fire engines and other advanced vehic

Kerala CM protecting culprits behind Karuvannur bank scam: Cong-led UDF

A day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed that the state government had taken action against those involved in the Karuvannur bank scam case, the Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday reiterated its allegation that he was protecting the culprits behind the fraud. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the assembly V D Satheesan alleged that the chief minister was defending and protecting those who looted over Rs 500 crore from cooperative banks in Thrissur. Vijayan on Wednesday had said that if one bad grain was found in a bowl of rice, the entire bowl cannot be thrown away. In response to this, Satheesan contended that the chief minister needs to realise that the entire bowl was full of bad grains. The LoP further contended that the stand taken by Vijayan amounts to discrediting the cooperative sector in the state and turning a blind eye to the suffering of the investors. He said that even the opposition does not want the cooperative sector to be harmed and urged the ..

Bribery charges steam against Kerala's health min, Cong calls it 'shocking'

Allegations of bribery have cropped up against a personal staff of Kerala Health Minister Veena George following which the opposition Congress demanded a probe into it. Haridasan, a resident of Malappuram district on Wednesday, alleged that a personal staff member of the minister accepted Rs 1 lakh as bribe for the appointment of his daughter-in-law as a government medical officer. He alleged that a middleman approached him, saying such appointments were being made through the minister's office, and asked him to pay a huge amount as bribe in instalments. A former office secretary of CITU, the trade union wing of the CPI(M), in Pathanamthitta, who allegedly acted as a middleman, also accepted a bribe for the said appointment, he claimed and added his daughter-in-law, however, didn't get the job. Haridasan also released through the media some purported evidence of money transactions between him and the minister's personal staff member. Later in the day, he said officers of the speci

Kerala's left govt starts regional review meetings to assess performance

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet colleagues started their state-wide regional review meeting here on Tuesday in order to assess the public mood and review the performance of the state government. Vijayan chaired the south regional review meeting that would discuss various programmes of the government and would also seek the opinion of the public regarding the implementation of the same, official sources said here. The South regional review meeting includes the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Pathanamthitta. All senior officials of government departments, apart from district collectors from the three districts and ministers from these districts were present at the review meeting. NGOs and prominent social workers were also invited to the meeting. The media was not allowed to cover the details of the review meeting. After the meeting of government department officials, a review meeting with senior police officials of these districts will be held i

Kerala to conduct seroprevalence survey on Nipah outbreaks in Kozhikode

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the state will conduct a seroprevalence study on the Nipah virus being repeatedly found in Kozhikode district

Kerala to conduct surveillance study on Nipah virus: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

The Kerala government has decided to conduct a surveillance study on Nipah virus and directed its Health Department to prepare a detailed report on it, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday

BJP trying to alter federal policy, install presidential model: Kerala CM

"Our country is going through challenging times. What defines this country more than anything else is its secular character"

Kerala CM opposes 'one nation, one election'; criticises BJP-led Centre

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday criticised the BJP-led Union government's "one nation, one election" idea alleging that such a move was meant to give supremacy to the Centre. He said the concept of India, the parliamentary democratic system and the constitutional values are under "serious threat". In a hard-hitting statement, the CPI(M) veteran also said the present slogan of "one nation, one election" raised by the Sangh Parivar is making that threat further severe. "The slogan of one nation, one election is the agenda to give supremacy to the Centre... The democratic society should come up against it," Vijayan said. The Sangh Parivar has an "hidden agenda" of undermining the federal system to give all dominance to the Centre, he further charged. The Kerala CM's statement came days after the BJP-led Centre set up a high-level committee headed by former president Ram Nath Kovind to make recommendations on the possibility of holding simultaneous elections. The ..

Kerala CM congratulates ISRO and team on successful launch of Aditya-L1

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday congratulated the ISRO and the scientists on the successful launch of India's first solar mission Aditya-L1. Shortly after the successful takeoff of PSLV-C57, carrying the Aditya satellite from Sriharikota, Vijayan in a social media post said that it was another "momentous achievement" for India in space research. "India marks another momentous achievement in space research as #AdityaL1 sets off on its mission to explore the secrets of the Sun and its atmosphere. Hats off to@isro and the incredible team that made this possible. Together, we reach for the stars!," Vijayan posted on X, formerly Twitter. The satellite will be observing the Sun round the clock and extract exact data regarding various solar phenomena.

Kerala Court rejects plea seeking vigilance probe against CM Vijayan

A court here on Saturday dismissed a plea seeking vigilance inquiry against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter and others in connection with alleged financial transactions between a private mineral company and her IT firm. The Special Vigilance Court in Muvattupuzha dismissed the petition filed by social activist Gireesh Babu, for want of evidence, sources said. The petition sought an investigation into the "illegal financial transactions, coming under the ambit of bribery, carried out between the accused persons," in connection with mining and other "business interests" of Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). Apart from Veena T and Vijayan, the petition had also arraigned former leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and senior Congress leader, Ramesh Chennithala, Indian Union Muslim League leaders P K Kunhalikutty and V K Ibrahimkunju, Veena's IT firm, CMRL and others. A controversy had erupted recently over certain financial transactions between CMRL and the Chi

Kerala govt releases additional books to include portions deleted by NCERT

The chief minister said that in class 11 and 12, 12 subjects with 44 textbooks are from NCERT. Naturally, students of 11 and 12 are getting textbooks prepared by NCERT with vested interests

Kerala is at forefront of promoting knowledge sector: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

The Chief Minister said that Rs 3,500 crore has been allotted in the latest state budget for research and development

Kerala govt commences distribution of social security to 6 mn beneficiaries

The Kerala government has initiated the distribution of social security, welfare board pension for the months of May and June in the state, in view of the upcoming Onam festival season. The Left government will be distributing Rs 3,200 each to around 60 lakh beneficiaries and allotted Rs 1,762 crore for this, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a Facebook post on Saturday. The Left government has been providing welfare board pension of Rs 1,600 each to beneficiaries every month and is currently disbursing the amount for the months of May and June. "Around 60 lakh people will receive Rs 3,200 each as social security pension to celebrate Onam. The state government has set aside Rs 1,762 crore, including Rs 212 crore for the welfare board pension, despite the Union Govt's suspension of funds since 2021. Disbursement will be completed by August 23," Vijayan said in a Facebook post. Attacking the union government, he claimed that even though it has not released its share towa

Kerala CM makes his first Vande Bharat journey from Kannur to Ernakulam

Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on April 25

Kerala is in very bad shape financially, has highest debt: BJP leader

"Kerala Government is continuously borrowing loans and adding a huge burden on future generations of the state," he added

With effective market intervention, Kerala has lowest inflation: CM Vijayan

Kerala, which is a consumer state, has tackled inflation with "effective market interventions" and the price rise is lower than the national average, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday. The inflation rate is also the lowest among the states, he said amid concerns about rising prices nationwide. Inaugurating the Supplyco Onam Fest Vijayan said the Left government was proud of the fact that it kept its election promise not to increase the prices of 13 essential commodities for the common man. Accusing the Centre of 'failing' to control the prices, he claimed that Kerala had the lowest inflation rate in the country. "Kerala has one of the lowest inflation rates in the country due to an effective market intervention by the State government. We're a consumer state, so the price rise should usually reflect in our state as well. But all the figures show that we were able to keep the inflation rate much below the national average," Vijayan said. Inaugurating the statewide netw

Neo-liberal policies cause for crisis in agriculture sector, says Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the agriculture sector and the farming community are going through tough times and blamed the neo-liberal policies being implemented in the country for the crisis. Despite all the difficulties, the LDF government in the state is adopting diverse measures to strengthen the agriculture sector, he said. Efforts should be made for further interventions to reach its benefits to maximum number of people, he wrote in his Facebook page on the occasion of the Malayalam new year Chingam today, which is considered auspicious by the Kerala people. 'Chingam 1' of the Malayalam calendar is also observed as Farmers' Day in the southern state to recognise the services rendered by peasants to the society. He said the beginning of the Malayalam month is an occasion to remember the state's rich agricultural heritage and legacy. The CM also stressed the need for evolving new projects in tune with the changing times for the prosperity of the farm