KERALA

Manickal panchayat wins second place in the best panchayat category at the fourth edition of National Water Awards instituted by the Jal Shakti ministry. On behalf of the panchayat, president Kuthirakulam Jayan received the trophy, a cash prize and a citation during an event held at Vigyan Bhavan.

The panchayat was awarded the honour for the water conservation practices taken up by it under the Puzhayozhukum Manickal project since 2022. This was an integrated project which brought together related schemes of different departments like HarithaKeralaMission, central ground water board, Agriculture-notes-for-state-psc-exams”>Agriculture, ministry of rural EMPLOYMENT, and department of drinking water and sanitation and Irrigation department. Under the guidance of department officials, the panchayat cleaned four ponds, took up various water conservation methods such as groundwater rejuvenation, explored ways to increase the income of farmers through methods like paddy and lotus cultivation, fish farming conducted sensitisation programmes in all wards and even made drinking water accessible to places like Thampuran Para.

While Jagannadhapuram panchayat inTelanganawon first place, Manickal shared the second position with Kadavur panchayat in Tamil Nadu. The first edition ofthe NationalWater Awards was introduced by the department of Resources“>Water Resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation in 2018. For the fourth edition, a total of 868 applications were received by 31 October 2022. Among them, 41 applicants emerged to be winners under the 11 categories of the event.

poetand lyricistVairamuthuhas been selected for this yearsONV Awardinstituted by theONV Cultural Academyin honour of late poetONV Kurup.

This is the first time that the award, being given to litterateurs from Malayalam and other Indian languages, is going to a non-Keralite writer.

Malayalam University vice-chancellorAnil Vallathol, writerAlamcode Leelakrishnanandpoet Prabha Varmawere members of the award jury. The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, citation and plaque.

Coastal security exerciseSagar Kavachis being conducted

forKeralaandMahe. It is a half-yearly exercise held with an objective to check coastal security mechanisms and validate standard operating procedures. The exercise is conducted and coordinated byIndian Coast Guardwith active participation of all stakeholders including INDIAN NAVY, Coastal Police/ State Police, Intelligence Bureau, Customs, CISF department of Port, Department of , DirectorateGeneral of Lighthouses and Lightships(DGLL) and Kadalora Jagiratha Samithi.

The exercise plays a vital role and brings together the central/ state stakeholders and helps in strengthening the coastal security mechanism. The exercise covers the entire Kerala and Mahe coast (590 km). Fishermen play an important role in coastal security. During exercise, fishermen are advised to intimate any unknown vessel, operating close to the coast, to the INDIAN COAST GUARD.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday that government has decided to strengthen milk testing at the states border. Government is committed to ensure the physical and chemical quality of milk that reaches customers, he said after inaugurating the state-level meet of farmers at Mannuthy.

He said more Money was allocated to augment Infrastructure at the regional milk testing labs inKasaragod,Alathur and Kottayam. The efforts to introduce a Cattle Feed Act to ensure quality cattle feed and regulate its price are in the final stage and government has earmarked Rs 130cr for dairy development, he said, adding thatKeralawas close to becoming self-sufficient in milk production.

Union RAILWAY minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Rs 2,033 crore has been allocated forKeralafor railway development in the Union budget. During 2009 to 2014, this was Rs 372 crore.

The rail development is being implemented based on two main concepts Vande Metro and Hydrogen Train, he said. He added that India would have its first hydrogen train by December this year. He was addressing a press conference via video conferencing regarding the projects and allocations for the state in the Union Budget.

The study of T’puram-Mangaluru rail line will be completed by September. He also said that the new Pamban Bridge will be operational by June 2023.

Better management practices and congenial Environment play an important role in ensuring better fertility among crossbred cattle in the state, according to a study by researchers ofKeralaVeterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU).

The study is based on data collected from 1,180 crossbred cattle sired by 208 Frieswal bulls, spread over a period of 16 years from 2003 to 2019. The cattle have been maintained at different farms of the university. A team of genetic scientists from the Centre For Advanced Studies in Animal Genetics andBreeding,KVASU-Thrissur, found that there is no co-relation between high milk yielding cows and fertility.

Cross breeding of local non-descriptive cattle with exotic breeds mainly Holstein Friesian (exotic inheritance limited to 5062.5%) was undertaken in the state since 1960 for improving milk production potential and early sexual maturity, thus increases the profitability of farming in Kerala. Despite considerable increase in the proportion of high yielding crossbred cattle, the Average productivity of each animal remains low. It is, therefore, necessary to improve the overall performance of crossbred cattle of Kerala. The study found that fertility traits were significantly influenced by season and period of calving only, while production traits were significantly influenced by season, period of calving and different centres.

In a major move that may revolutionize designs of public projects in the state, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) will form the Kerala Design Committee, which will consist of creative design experts from across the globe.

The committee will draft a design policy for the State Government with the support of leading creative artists.

KSUM has already initiated steps to set up community skill centres as part of its policy to start innovation centres in each constituency of the state.