Latest news with #Rajeeve
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Centre unilaterally making rules for mineral mining: Min
Thiruvananthapuram: Industries minister P Rajeeve said the central govt is moving forward with plans for nuclear mineral mining to extract uranium and thorium from the coastline, despite strong opposition from Kerala. The state argues that this poses a threat to national security and the fishing industry and has urged the withdrawal of the 2025 Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Regulations, said the minister. The central govt is unilaterally formulating these rules without consulting the state, even though the coastal region includes areas with nuclear mineral deposits, he added. The central govt intends to permit private companies to mine nuclear minerals like uranium and thorium from the country's maritime zones, which Kerala claims could endanger national security if foreign agencies or contractors are involved. The coastal regions of Kerala, Odisha and Tamil Nadu are rich in beach sand minerals, including thorium, crucial for nuclear energy production. The new regulations significantly impact Kerala as the central govt and its agencies hold the authority to grant mining permissions, excluding state involvement, which is a violation of constitutional rights, the minister said. Deep-sea mining could harm the marine ecosystem and severely affect the fishing industry, disrupting the food chain and endangering the livelihoods of millions of fishermen. Public sector enterprises based on mineral sand would also be threatened, affecting employment opportunities. Despite Kerala's strong opposition, the central govt is proceeding with plans to allow foreign agencies to mine coastal sand. The state has demanded the complete withdrawal of these central regulations, Rajeeve said.
New Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Kerala slams Centre's move to permit offshore atomic minerals mining
Offshore mining rules are threat to coastal livelihoods Kerala's coastline, along with parts of Odisha and Tamil Nadu, is known for its rich deposits of beach sand minerals that contain thorium—crucial for India's nuclear energy ambitions. Rajeeve said the rules would disproportionately impact Kerala, home to public sector undertakings involved in beach sand mineral processing. 'This will jeopardise not just the operations of these PSUs but also the thousands employed by them,' he said. Equally alarming, according to the state, is the environmental damage that deep-sea mining can cause. 'Offshore atomic minerals mining will severely disrupt fragile marine habitats, destroy fish stocks, and collapse food chains,' the minister warned. 'It will directly affect the livelihoods of lakhs of traditional fishers who depend on these waters.' He accused the Centre of ignoring Kerala's repeated objections while moving forward with plans to permit exploration and mining in areas adjacent to the state's maritime boundaries. 'The sudden notification of these rules, without dialogue or transparency, is unacceptable,' he said. Calling the move an 'injustice to coastal states,' Rajeeve demanded the complete withdrawal of the Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Rules, 2025. 'The Centre must understand that this is not merely a matter of resource exploitation — it is a question of environmental protection, constitutional rights, and human survival,' he said.
The Hindu
02-08-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Student Police Cadet is Kerala's contribution to world, says Minister P. Rajeeve
Student Police Cadet (SPC) programme is one of the many novel concepts contributed by Kerala to the world, said Minister for Industries and Law P. Rajeeve. He was speaking after inaugurating the SPC Day celebrations at the Keezhmadu Model Residential School in Ernakulam district on Saturday (August 2, 2025). SPC plays a significant role in inculcating among students awareness about law, discipline, social commitment, humanitarian values and sense of justice. The Minister hailed SPC for fulfilling an honourable mission in a prideful manner. Key role The State government has devised a comprehensive programme to resist drugs even as the drug menace is getting worsened across the world. More than penal measures, there is a need to create awareness about drugs and its threat. The State now has a system to report students found abusing substances and to bring them back to normal life with the support of experts. SPC is best placed to make schools drug-free. Mr. Rajeeve wished SPC to be able to live up to that challenge. Consent letters were handed over to schools, which were newly issued SPC programme. Keezhmadu Model Residential School and Mar Elias Higher Secondary School bagged the first and second prizes for the best SPC platoon. Anti-drug pledge was administered to students at the event. Kochi City Deputy Commissioner Juvvanapudi Mahesh hoisted the flag marking the inauguration of celebrations. A parade by SPCs from 10 schools was also held.
New Indian Express
31-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Kerala clears KINFRA food park in Ernakulam's Kunnukara on 15-hectare plot under Mini Food Park scheme
KOCHI: The state government has given administrative approval for setting up a KINFRA food processing park at Kunnukara in Ernakulam district. The project, under the Mini Food Park scheme announced by the state, will be established on 15.3073 hectares (around 37.82 acres) of land in Kunnukara village, near Kalamassery. Industries Minister P Rajeeve said the Kunnukara park would be one of the major initiatives in the agri-allied sector and would be implemented with financial support from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The food park is also expected to strengthen the ongoing agricultural revival initiatives in the Kalamassery Assembly constituency. As part of the Kalamassery Agri Mission led by the minister, farming activities have been extended to more areas. Cultivation of crops like sugarcane and arrowroot has begun, and five value-added agri products have already been introduced in the market. The third edition of the Kalamassery Agri Fest, organised in connection with the project, will be held in August. Irrigation facilities in the region have also been upgraded to support increased cultivation. "The food processing park will play a crucial role in reinforcing the progress made in the agriculture sector," said Rajeeve. The park will house industrial units focused on spices, coconut, fruits, dairy products, cakes, and bakery items. He added that the land acquisition procedures will be expedited in coordination with the district administration.
New Indian Express
20-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Kerala should leverage its rising brand value for industrial growth: Minister P Rajeeve
KOCHI: 'Kerala's rising brand value in the post-Covid-19 era must be effectively leveraged to drive industrial growth across the state', said Industries Minister P Rajeeve on Friday. He was speaking at a Kerala Brand Stakeholder workshop in Kochi, convened to expand the scope of the 'Kerala Brand' (Nanma) initiative. The 'Kerala Brand' initiative, designed to give a distinct identity to high-quality, ethically produced products from the state, has now been expanded to include ten additional products. In the food category, coffee, tea, honey, ghee, and packaged drinking water have been shortlisted. In the non-food category, plywood, footwear, PVC pipes, surgical rubber gloves, and cattle feed will be brought under the certification umbrella. Highlighting the government's broader vision, Rajeeve also said that the state aims to attract skilled professionals who have migrated abroad and build a smart, sustainable economy powered by local enterprise. The workshop was jointly organised by the Department of Industries and Commerce, Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP), Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), and KINFRA, under the Central government's Rising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) scheme.
