The Cabinet on Wednesday granted approval to the package prepared for the people affected by land acquisition in Kochi. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Wednesday that the package prepared by the Ernakulam District Collector had recommended to provide `1.02 lakh per cent for the land acquired up to 10 cents.
They would also be given two cents of land each in the Metro village. For those who have given more than 10 cents of land, compensation will be given at the same rate of `1.02 lakh per cent. They
would get five cents of land in the Metro village.
For the barren land acquired for the project, a compensation of `3 lakh per cent would be given.
The Chief Minister said that the Cabinet had also approved the pay revision for the employees of the Kerala Livestock Development Board and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. The pay revision would be implemented with retrospective effect from July 1,2009.
Kerala Feeds
The Cabinet decided to hand over 10 acres of land under the Agriculture Department at Manakkadu village in Thodupuzha to set up a hi-tech cattle feed factory under the Kerala Feeds. The land will be handed over on lease at the rate of `100 for one acre per year.
Help for Expats
The Chief Minister said the Cabinet decided to bear the travel expenses of those who return to the state after the expiry of the grace period of ‘Nitaquat’ in Saudi Arabia.
Oommen Chandy said a large number of expatriates had made use of the grace period granted by the Saudi Government. The Chief Minister said the government had set up three zonal committees comprising five officials each in Saudi Arabia at Jeddah, Damam and Riyadh.
They had collected the details of all those who had to be returned to India after the grace period. According to latest estimates, there will be a very small number of people to return to Kerala.
He said the returnees would be given flight tickets and other expenses would be considered. Norka Department will prepare a comprehensive package for the rehabilitation of the returnees.
The Chief Minister also said the Cabinet had approved the recommendations to release a total of 22 convicts who had already completed 20 years of imprisonment.
The list includes Melvin Padua, whose release had turned into a controversy, following objections from top jail authorities.