THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major move, the Congress-led UDF government has decided to abolish the Silverline semi-high-speed rail project, which was brought in by the previous LDF regime.
Announcing the decision, Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Wednesday said all notifications issued and processes related to the land acquisition has been denotified.
The government will also request the authorities concerned to cancel all cases taken against people as part of the agitations against the project. The government also instructed the Revenue Department to take take down all border signals that were placed as part of it.
"We are not against the high-speed rail project. But the Silverline project could have led to an environmental disaster if it materialised. Such a project is not ideal for the slanting landscape of Kerala," CM said in a press meet after the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
He also mentioned that people could not even sell the land which was acquired for the project, complaints regarding which was received during his Puthu Yuga Yathra before the elections.
The cabinet has also decided to roll out a 100-day action plan of projects- both new and long-standing ones- that can be immediately implemented from June 1. Satheesan said that this is part of the first phase of implementing the UDF's election manifesto.
In another major decision, the cabinet has also extended the validity of the PSC ranklists which was supposed to expire on August 31 to November 30. The CM said that the action was initiated as major appointments could not he done due to elections.
In his first response to the Vande Mataram row, the CM said that he was unaware the national song would be sung at the oath-taking ceremony. He also mentioned that the Congress was not aware of the song being sung at the closing of the event.
Responding to the criticisms against him for mentioning the caste surname during the swearing-in ceremony, the CM asked what is the issue in saying his father's full name.
Speaking about the impending portfolio distribution among ministers, the CM said that the division had been completed by Monday late night itself, and it could not be formally given to the Governor because he was out of station on Tuesday.