THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state cabinet on Wednesday decided to appoint retired high court judge P Ubaid as the new chairman of the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) advisory board.
The board can review cases under KAAPA and make recommendations to the government regarding the release of detained individuals. In addition to this role, Ubaid has been appointed chairperson of the advisory boards for the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act, the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities (COFEPOSA) Act, and the National Security Act (NSA). Previously, he served as the chairman of the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal.
The cabinet also decided to award bonuses to employees of public sector institutions, ensuring that the amount meets or exceeds the previous year’s level. Employees of PSUs that have reported higher operating profits compared to the previous year will receive 2-8% of total benefits (bonus, ex gratia, festival, or gift), proportional to the profit earned.
In other decisions, the government sanctioned a one-time settlement for the Kerala Toddy Workers’ Welfare Fund Board. Additionally, new posts will be created to enhance the operations of the State Central Library, the journalists’ pension scheme, and other media-related functions, as well as the Kerala Dental Council and the Srinivasa Ramanujan Institute for Basic Sciences (SRIBS).