Latest news with #KnowledgeKerala
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Kerala marching ahead with inclusive and sustainable development: Bindu
Kerala is marching ahead with inclusive and sustainable development, Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice R. Bindu has said. She was addressing the valedictory session of the Ente Keralam Exhibition and Trade Fair here on Saturday, held in connection with the fourth anniversary celebrations of the Left Democratic Front government. Dr. Bindu said the government had taken great strides to ensure land, housing, education, healthcare, employment, and basic amenities for all under a development model rooted in social justice. 'It is a matter of pride that this government has succeeded in implementing such people-centric development programmes,' she said. 'Over 4.52 lakh homes have been constructed under the LIFE Mission, with constructions ongoing to surpass five lakh beneficiaries. Land titles have been distributed to four lakh people. Internationally benchmarked public health and education services were made widely accessible. Over 7.5 lakh people were employed through the 'Vijnana Keralam' (Knowledge Kerala) initiative, aiming to hit 20 lakh jobs as promised in the manifesto,' she said, listing the achievements of the LDF government. Minister for Revenue and Housing K. Rajan, who presided over the event, described the expo as a transparent progress report of the government, open to the public without any exaggeration or filters. The event served as a platform to showcase Kerala's development model to the world, he said. Held at Thekkinkadu Maidan, the seven-day exhibition drew massive crowds. The event offered a unique opportunity for the public to engage with the achievements of the past nine years, brought to life through various stalls and digital experiences. There were 189 stalls, including 151 by government departments and 38 commercial stalls, at the expo.
The Hindu
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Knowledge Kerala project: facilitation centres to be set up in Ernakulam
Facilitation centres and job stations aimed at offering job opportunities and skilling programmes for youth will be set up at the panchayat and municipal levels in Ernakulam soon as part of the 'Knowledge Kerala' project. These facilities will act as a support system to help job seekers and provide them with adequate training. The Knowledge Kerala project intends to create more opportunities for job aspirants. There are plans to organise skill development and job placement programmes. The project is being implemented through the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council. A district-level council has been formed as part of initiating the programmes in Ernakulam. The authorities are hopeful that the project will have good possibilities in the district, in view of the presence of industries and commercial units, according to a communication. The district council will take steps to form a three-tier system of resource persons associated with the implementation of the project. It will include key resource persons, district resource persons, and local resource persons. As part of the project, final year students in higher educational institutions will be offered skill enhancement programmes that will help them secure campus placements. Job seekers will be encouraged to register on the digital workforce management platform developed as part of the initiative. The government hopes to help around one lakh aspirants gain jobs through the project.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
State overcame hurdles by mopping up tax and non-tax revenues: Balagopal
Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said here on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) that the total tax and non-tax revenues were expected to cross ₹1 lakh crore at the end of the current fiscal. The total tax and non-tax revenues increased from ₹54,000 crore in the 2020-21 financial year to ₹95,000 crore this fiscal. 'The tax revenue when the Left Democratic Front (LDF) came to power was ₹47,000 crore. It has now gone up to about ₹81,000 crore,' he said in his inaugural address at the complaint redressal adalat held in the Kalamassery Assembly constituency. He added that the government did not increase the prices of liquor, despite it being a key revenue source as it might lead to an increase in the use of narcotic substances. The government ensured efficiency across various sectors and it helped overcome the various hurdles, he said. Mr. Balagopal said Kerala would turn into one of the top attractive job destinations in the country in the next 10 years in view of infrastructure and other development projects initiated by the government. The Minister said the two installments of social security and welfare fund board pensions would be released after May 20. There would be no going back on welfare pension for the needy as the government was committed to such schemes, he added. P. Rajeeve, Minister for Industries and MLA representing the Kalamassery constituency, said waste dumps in the municipality were turned into public spaces through the 'waste-free' campaign of the government. Hundreds of job opportunities had been created through the government's 'Knowledge Kerala' project, he added. Various complaints submitted by the public were taken up at the adalat. The Minister directed the authorities to take immediate action to ensure access to Jessy Scaria, a resident of TOG Pass Road, who alleged that her neighbour had curtailed vehicular access to the nearby renovated municipal road by dumping scrap materials and waste. She also submitted evidence to prove her claim. Over 150 complaints out of the around 200 received were resolved at the adalat. It included issues related to allotment of title deeds, land conversion and ration cards, according to a release.
New Indian Express
26-04-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Will respond to amicus curiae report in court: Former Minister Thomas Isaac
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former finance minister Thomas Isaac has said that he would respond to the amicus curiae's findings in the court. The amicus curiae was appointed by the Kerala High Court on a public interest litigation challenging the appointment of Isaac as an advisor to the Vijnana Keralam (Knowledge Kerala) project of the government. Addressing reporters here on Friday, Isaac said he has not read the amicus curiae's report. However, he responded to the allegations over his appointment. On the allegation on his remuneration, Isaac said he receives only a travel allowance. The project involves skill training for all students in the state. He has to travel extensively and stay at guest houses. He said the K-DISC was formed with the approval of the finance department. The allegations in this regard are baseless. Another criticism was on the sanction given by the KDISC ex officio secretary. There are several precedents in which ex officio secretaries issued similar sanctions. ASHA workers' strike was politically motivated Issac said the ASHA workers' strike was politically motivated. The previous LDF government raised the honorarium for the workers from Rs 1000 to Rs 7000 not because of any strike. Also, the social security pension was raised to Rs 1600. The previous government hiked these amounts because it had money. 40 per cent of the government's revenue was central funds during the time. Now it has come down to 25 pc and the government is facing a severe fund crunch, he said.
New Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Kerala HC amicus flags T M Thomas Isaac's appointment to non-existent department
KOCHI: The amicus curiae appointed by the Kerala High Court to assist the court in a public interest litigation challenging the appointment of former finance minister T M Thomas Isaac as an advisor to the Vijnana Keralam (Knowledge Kerala) project has informed that the appointment made is to a department that does not exist. Considering the submission, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S Manu impleaded Isaac as an additional respondent. It also directed the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) and Isaac to file a reply to the report of the amicus curiae. The petitioner, who claimed to be a public activist, had submitted that the government order stated that, 'For the coordination of activities of 'Vijnana Keralam', it was decided to appoint Isaac as the advisor of the project till the end of the tenure of the present government. This was a clear example of nepotism and favouritism,' the petitioner alleged. Isaac was appointed the advisor for Knowledge Kerala Project by the government in December 2024.
