KERALA

The state cabinet on Wednesday decided to include the Christian Nadar community, except people belonging to South Indian United Church (SIUC), in theOBClist. This was one of the promises made by theLDFin the last Assembly.

To affect the decision, the government would bring about an amendment in the 1958Keralastate and subordinate service rules 2021. The amendment would come into force with retrospective effect from August 15, 2021.

Though the had included the converted Christians, excluding SIUC, in state OBC list, vide an order on February 6,2021, the High Court had stayed the same following a petition against the order.

Arabbit mascotnamed Neeraj, in honour ofNeeraj Chopra, the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal, will be the symbol for the first ever ‘Kerala Olympic Games‘, slated to be held in February 2022.

State Education MinisterV Sivankuttyunveiled the mascot on Wednesday.
TheKerala Olympic Association(KOA) is organising the ‘Kerala Olympics Games’ from February 15 to 24, 2022.

Kerala, has taken things a step further and believes in a holistic approach to encourage gender neutrality in the state. And it wants to engage a crucial section of Population which matters the most children.

So while a section of the country went up in arms over a teachers training manual meant to make the nations schools more sensitive towards and inclusive of all genders, the Left government in this southern state has announced that it would back the idea of gender neutral uniforms in schools a concept that was perhaps hitherto unthinkable for students and academics alike.

Valayanchirangara government Lower Primary School, near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, which has a strength of 754 students has taken the first step towards gender neutrality and introduced a new uniform for their students a 3/4th shorts and shirt, irrespective of the gender.

The new dress code was planned in 2018 and was introduced in the lower primary section of the school and this academic year, when the schools were reopened after the pandemic induced lockdown, it has been extended to all students. General Education minister V Sivankutty said it was an admirable move and the government will promote such gender inclusive activities.

A study by the state board conducted in 2013 had strongly recommended the State Government to stop mining and quarrying activities in Koottickal panchayat.

The board had also suggested that the entire Vagamon hill ranges, including the areas under the Koottickal panchayat, be declared as a protected area, considering its ecological, biodiversity and natural heritage values.

The Kottamala hill ranges which is part of Vagamon, extends from Ramapuram to Thidanad. Even in such an extensive hill range the quarry mafia has bought almost all hill tops for quarrying.

The Kochi-based Kings Infra has been advocating the need for an environmentally sustainable aquaculture for the past many years. Sustainable aquaculture has considerable scope for Growth as 49 per cent of global demand for human consumption of fish is contributed by aquaculture. Aquaculture shrimp contributed 74 per cent value of the Indian seafood exports worth Rs 43,717 crore exports in FY 2021.

Onam is the most revered & celebrated festival of Kerala, is celebrated each year by means of the Malayali community across the world. The 10-day long competition marks the starting of harvest season as properly as the look of the Vaman avatar of Lord Vishnu alongside with the homecoming of King Mahabali.

Highlights:

The pageant starts from Atham (Hasta) nakshatram, and ends on Thiruvonam (Shravana) nakshatram. This year, the harvest pageant started out on 12th August and will conclude on 23rd August. The 10 days of the competition are titled on the names of astrological stars according to the Malayalam calendar.

The occasion of Onam begins with Atham. People in Kerala decorate their Home with yellow Plants regarded as Pokkalam.

The 2nd day of the festival is acknowledged as Chithira. On this day, humans smooth their complete homes and add another layer of plants to the Pookalam.

The 3rd day of Onam is found through meeting family contributors and exchanging gifts, recognised as Onakodi and jewellery.

The 4th day is viewed as the most auspicious one that marks the training of Onam Sadhya.

And on the 5th day, the annual boat race recognised as the Vallamkali boat race is performed from the Aranmula city on the banks of the River Pamba in Pathanamthitta. Malayali community people participate in this.

On the 6th day, The harvest festival Thriketta is observed. From this day, the schools remain closed & youngsters begin preparing for the devotional prayers.

With simply two days left for the festival, the 7th day marks the starting of the instruction for Onam Sandhya in which quite a few dance performances are held.

The Eighth day holds significance in festivities as the idols of Vamana and King Mahabali are prepared by the use of clay and placed in the centre of the Pookalam.

And finally on the 9th day of Uthradom, the festivities begin on a massive scale. People start coaching for traditional foods by using the usage of fruits and vegetables.

The tenth day of the competition is the most vital day of the carnival of Onam and it is believed that on Thiruvonam, the spirit of legendary King Mahabali visits the nation of Kerala and hence, the festivities commence from early morning. The grand feast of Onam called Onam sadhya is also organized on this day.

As part of the states ResilientKeralaProgram, the (WB) has sanctioned 125 million USD to the state to support the states preparedness against natural disasters, Climate-change”>Climate Change impacts, disease outbreaks and pandemics.

The Resilient Kerala Program will focus on two key areas. First, it will incorporate disaster risk planning in the master plans of urban and local self-governments to ease financial constraints on the State Government when faced with unexpected shocks. Second, it will help make the Health, Resources“>Water Resources management, Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture and road sectors more resilient to calamities.
The program is part of a programmatic series of the bank-financed operations in the state.

The first Resilient Kerala Development Policy Operation (DPO) approved in June 2019 had undertaken several initiatives. It had helped the state draft a river basin conservation and management act, which will conserve and regulate water resources and ensure their sustainable management, allocation and utilization. It had also introduced climate-resilient agriculture, risk-informed land use and Disaster Management planning. The program laid the foundations for a five-year state PARTNERSHIP framework.

The support to key sectors under the program include sustainable fiscal and Debt Management through establishing a debt management unit in the finance department to support the states efforts to scale down its debt-to-GSDP ratio to a sustainable trajectory, providing timely and adequate assistance to vulnerable households, disaster and climate-resilient urban development, create resilient public health systems, ensure an integrated and sustainable Water Resources Management, ensure sustainable and resilient food systems and create a climate-resilient road Infrastructure.

Education ministerV Sivankutty inaugurated Haritham Jeevitham programme atPeermadeby planting a tree sapling.

Peermade is sending out a message to the entire state by starting the carbon neutralization project. I wish more such models will come up in the state to address climatic and environmental issues. More trees have to be planted in an attempt to mitigate issues caused by climatic change and that message needs to be taken to the younger generation, the minister said.

Sivankutty also declared Anakkara Government Higher School with Green Campus and Clean Campus tag.