THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Assembly passed the Kerala Fishermen Debt Relief Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2018, on Wednesday. As per the new bill, the Commission will have the powers to recommend the government to take over the debt of fishermen and to issue orders to the Fishermen Cooperative Society for sanctioning new loans to the fishermen.
The bill also recommends disciplinary action against those, other than institutional creditor and financial institution, who act against the order or award issued by the government or the commission in relation to the settlement of loans taken for fishing equipment that are damaged due to sea erosion or other disasters. The commission could impose a fine not exceeding `1 lakh and recommend the government to take prosecution proceedings.
Meanwhile, it has been found that when the said bill was considered by the subject committee concerned a dissent note was presented by A P Anil Kumar MLA.
In his note, the MLA notes that considering the collateral damage inflicted by Cyclone Ockhi and floods there is a need to extend the debt relief to nine more years (that is from December 31, 2007 to December 31, 2016).
Inadequate security of ATMs
T’Puram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it had come to the notice of the government that the ATM kiosks in the state were operating without adequate security. According to the chief minister, in the wake of recent incidents of attempted ATM heist, adequate directions were given to the bank authorities to appoint security personnel, install CCTV cameras at kiosks and ensure their operational efficiency. He also added that the police have been instructed to step up their vigil.