Kerala cooperative bank by August 2018
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Cooperative Bank will be set up by August 16, 2018. Application for bank formation has already been submitted to the RBI. The decision was taken at the Chief Minister’s two-day review of departments and key projects. A five-year business policy of the bank - including redeployment of employees and coordination of investment and loan schemes - has been submitted to the RBI.
The proceedings for the bank formation will be over by August 16, 2018 (The first day of the Malayalam month of Chingam). When the two-day review was over, as many as 114 projects under 38 departments were assessed. Issues related to various departments were pointed out by certain ministers. Necessary steps to address these issues came up at the review.
Forests and wildlife
In view of increasing man-animal conflict, steps to prevent elephants are being taken. Of the proposed 20-km Elephant Proof Trenches, 2 km has been completed. Elephant wall has been proposed along 10 km. Of this 7.5 km has been constructed. The solar fencing will be along 200 km where 10 km has been set up.
Dairy development
Out of the 14,448 calves to be adopted as part the Govardhini project to support dairy farmers, 12,695 have been adopted. The department aims to increase milk production by 87 pc. To meet the target of one lakh calves, if needed, calves will be bought from outside the state. Currently, the Animal Husbandry Department cannot inspect the quality of milk. The Chief Minister has directed to issue a notification authorising Dairy Department officials to check the quality of milk. The department also decided to set up quality checking laboratories along the state borders to prevent the inflow of adulterated and low-quality milk. Already a laboratory has been set up at Meenakshipuram in Palakkad. Three more will be set up this year.
Coming: 2,000 prawn farming centres in state
T’Puram: As part of promoting aqua farming with people’s participation, fish farming was started in 4,027 ponds. Fish farming has been started in 2,475 paddy fields. The government has decided to start prawn farming in 2,000 centres. Hatcheries will be renovated for hatchling self-sufficiency. More new hatcheries will also be set up. A marine ambulance facility will be set up. A boat for the purpose has been manufactured at the Cochin Shipyard.
Working women’s hostel near Technopark
The working women’s hostel to be constructed at a cost of Rs 102 crore near Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, will be completed by December 2020 . The 10-storey building will have 540 rooms. 1,300 people can stay in the hostel. The working women’s hostel at Mananthavadi will be completed in October 2018.
Parking policy
As part of the efforts to solve the vehicle parking crisis, parking projects will be set up in six corporations. A study has been started in this regard. It has been decided to formulate a parking policy. Steps have been started to prepare the socio-economic - human index in grama panchayats. In August 2018, data base of all families will be prepared. Construction of ‘Pakalveedu’ will begin next year. In every panchayat, there will be a model ‘Pakalveedu.’
Govt hosps to be made patient friendly
T’Puram: The Chief Minister’s review meeting on the health sector has decided to speed up projects for making government hospitals more patient friendly. Steps have been taken to convert the 848 primary health centres to family health centres. Of the above, 155 will be converted by January 2018. As part of the development, super specialty and specialty facilities will be provided at the district and taluk hospitals. Cathlabs will be set up at eight district hospitals and dialysis facilities will be provided at all ten taluk hospitals. Apart from this, facilities for cancer and stroke treatment will be made available at all district hospitals. Palliative clinics will be started at all district hospitals. It has been decided to convert the Homoeopathic Fertility Centre at Kannur into a centre of excellence.
`500-crore project to build stadiums
T’Puram: The state government will implement a Rs 500-crore project to construct stadiums in all districts. The 200 MW solar park project in Kannur will be completed by May 2019. Steps have been taken for setting up the park. The first phase of the Transgrid project will be completed by December 2019 and the second phase by December 2020. The project to strengthen the distribution network will be completed by December 2018. On Tuesday, portfolios held by ministers K Raju, J Mercykuttya Amma, T P Ramakrishnan, G Sudhakaran, K K Shylaja, P Thilothaman, K T Jaleel, V S Sunil Kumar, Kadakampally Surendran, E Chandasekharan, M M Mani and A C Moideen came up for review.
16 projects to increase paddy production
T”Puram: The government is currently implementing 16 projects to increase paddy production in the state. Over 35 per cent of the project to spread paddy cultivation to 1.8 lakh acres has been completed. The government noted there was progress in the projects to promote high yeild paddy and dry land paddy cultivation. A total of 24 projects are being implemented to improve cultivation of vegetables. In the food sector, a council has been set up which runs a food processing training centre, a lab to assess quality of food and a food technology college. A School of Food Business Management will be set up under the council.
Malabar river cruise project to be implemented
T’Puram: The government has decided to implement the Malabar River Cruise project linking eight rivers in Kasargod and Kannur districts at a cost of C325 crore. Tourism projects relating to Mahi Puzha, Anjarakkandi, Perumba, Tejaswini and Chandragiri rivers will be completed by June 2018. A C99 crore project to develop tourism facilities in Athirappilly, Malayattoor, Kalady and Kodanad will be implemented.
Private fuel outlets in the state to remain closed on Friday
Thrissur: Supporting the strike called by the All India United Petroleum Front, all the private fuel bunks in the state will remain closed on October 13. Addressing the media, Kerala Federation of Petroleum traders member K P Sivanandan demanded there should be equal rates of petroleum products in the state. He said the Central Government should intervene in the daily revision of rates by the petroleum companies. The petroleum companies should also withdraw the act of implementing things without consulting the dealer, he said. Sivanandan said though the changes are brought by the petroleum companies, it is the dealers who provide it to the consumers. Meanwhile, the government and public-owned petrol pumps will continue to operate on October 13, he said.