Varsities to prepare academic master plan

 An academic master plan will be prepared by all universities, Education Minister C Raveendranath has said. Calicut University has started works in this regard.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An academic master plan will be prepared by all universities, Education Minister C Raveendranath has said. Calicut University has started works in this regard.
“One department each in all universities and colleges in the state will be raised to a centre of excellence of international standards,” the minister informed the Assembly on Friday. Administrative sanction was given to Rs 240.9 crore project to make the Cochin University of Science and Technology a centre for excellence. As per UGC norms, valuation of answer sheets is part of the responsibility of college teachers and hence no special fees need be given.


The government will examine the issue of some courses in autonomous colleges lacking PSC recognition. The syllabus of such courses will be examined and changes will be suggested if required.  
Road development
An amount of Rs 286 crore has been sanctioned for the maintenance of various roads, Works Minister G Sudhakaran has said. Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement project has been completed. The contractors who delay works citing loss will be blacklisted. Non-performing officers in the department will be asked to take compulsory retirement. The development of roads in district centres will be funded by the KIIFB. KIIFB assistance is beneficial for large-scale works.


Law to reclaim land
Revenue Minister E Chandrasekharan said  a legislation will be enacted to reclaim government land held by big companies. Former Special Secretary to Law Department Padmakaran has been assigned to prepare a draft legislation. 107126 cases are pending with various land tribunals. 2.43 lakh beneficiaries have been selected for the LIFE housing scheme. Of this assistance was given to 54,398 and other applications are being processed. The government does not have plans to amend the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act- 2008. The Advocate General has not been given any direction regarding an amendment to allow wetland reclamation for industrial or education purposes, the minister said.

Value-added products from cashew apple
T’Puram:
The government is taking efforts to facilitate manufacturing of value-added products from cashew apple, Fisheries and Cashew Minister J Mercykutty Amma has said. “Ten thousand metric tonnes of cashew apples are going waste in the state every year. Steps are being taken to produce juice, wine and other products from cashew apple,” she told the Assembly on Friday. “A committee has been formed to study the feasibility of producing value-added products from cashew apple,” she said.
Animals killed
In all, 21 wild animals were electrocuted in the state during the past one year, Forest Minister K Raju has said. Killed animals included ten elephants, five monkeys, three peacocks, one each leopard, wild board and Malabar Giant Squirrel. 

Kerala for changing alignment of Nilambur-Nanjangud rail line
T’Puram:
Owing to Karnataka’s opposition to the proposed Nilambur-Nanjangud railway line, the state government will chalk out an alternative alignment for the line after consultations with the government of the neighbouring state, PWD Minister G Sudhakaran told the Assembly on Friday. Sudhakaran was replying to a submission by I C Balakrishnan of the Congress.

Sudhakaran said the governments of Kerala and Karnataka would discuss the possibility of an alternative alignment which does not pass through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. A long-pending demand of the local people in the northern part of Kerala, the proposed railway line is planned between Nilambur in Malappuram district and Nanjangud in Karnataka. “The Karnataka Government is opposing the project. But, Kerala is very keen on implementing the railway line. We have to sort out the issues and explore an alternative alignment,” he said. 

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