THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state cabinet on Wednesday decided to appoint chief wildlife warden Ganga Singh as the next head of the forest force (HOFF). He will replace the incumbent Bennichen Thomas who is set to retire on July 31. Singh is a Kerala cadre officer of the 1988 Indian Forest Service (IFS) batch. A native of Uttarakhand, he has served in various capacities in the forest department since his posting as assistant deputy conservator of forests in North Wayanad in 1991.
He also served as deputy forest conservator for various terms at Kozhikode (World Food Programme), Thiruvananthapuram (World Food Programme), Thiruvananthapuram Social Forestry Division Headquarters, and Mannarkkad Silent Valley National Park.
Other cabinet decisions
Mental health nursing course Government nursing colleges in Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha have given permission to start the MSc (Mental Health Nursing Course) in the academic year 2023-24 by fixing the student intake capacity at 8 each.
Continuation Permit
The post of deputy director allotted in the Department of information and public relations has been granted continuance from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, for the settlement of journalist pensions and alternative pensions. It has been decided to extend the temporary posts of 2 sub-registrars and 4 clerks till March 31, 2024, out of the temporary posts of four sub-registrars and six clerks created in the registration department for speedy disposal of chitty arbitration cases in the Thrissur district.
Salary revision
It has been decided to provide the benefit of the 11th Pay Revision Order with retrospective effect from July 1 2019 to the permanent employees of government-recognised posts in the Malabar Devaswom Board, subject to conditions.
Biodiversity heritage area
Steps will be taken to get Edailakkadkavu in Valiyaparamba grama panchayat of Kasaragod district notified as a biodiversity heritage area.
Order to be modified
It was decided to modify the order to allow the conversion of 27 temporary JFCM courts into permanent courts.
Permission to BPCL
The cabinet has decided to permit BPCL to provide the necessary land, water, and electricity and lay pipelines for setting up a plant to convert organic waste into compressed biogas in Kochi.
Conversion permission
It has been decided to grant conditional permission for the conversion of 90 cents of paddy field required for the construction of the Njavilinkadav bridge as an elevated structure at Lakiti and Perur villages in Palakkad for public purposes.
Flood compensation amount to be granted
In connection with the 2018 flood, it has been decided to allow a one-time settlement of the amount to be paid to the mill owners in respect of losses of Rs 10 crore with conditions.