KERALA

The plan is to replace all the old pipelines, which form part of KWAs water supply Network, with new ones.

As per the preliminary evaluation, pipelines in almost all parts of the city will have to be replaced with new ones. It will take time when doing the work without affecting other utilities and causing minimum inconvenience to the public.

The plan is to divide the entire city into various zones. The water supply to each zone will be limited through a dedicated valve system. This will help in measuring the exact quantity of water being supplied in each zone. This will also help the KWA authorities in identifying the problems like leakage in each area and rectify it.

Meanwhile, KWA couldnt implement a similar project worth Rs 625 crore, which was mooted under the Smart City scheme in 2015-16. The project got the administrative sanction only in 2020. Even then, KWA officials dont know what happened to that project.

Industries minister P Rajeeve said that the entrepreneurs were giving big contributions to the industrial development of the state. Speaking to reporters after meeting investors in Kochi on Thursday, Rajeeve said that the entrepreneurs who attended the Meet the Minister programme expressed satisfaction over the measures taken by the government for the industrial development in the state.

He said that a change in the mindset of all, including the media, should be there on certain issues. If the state brings an investor from other states by sending a chartered flight, it will become news. In states like Uttar Pradesh, the government has to negotiate with one single owner for acquiring 5,000 acres while we have to negotiate with around 400 owners for acquiring three acres, he said.

The state, once again, is staring at a major financial crisis after the Centre slashed Kerala’sborrowingcapacity by almost Rs 8,000 crore for the ongoing financial year.

With the Centre’s latest decision, the state can borrow only a maximum of Rs 15,390 crore for the first nine months of the ongoing financial year. Kerala has already borrowed Rs 2,000 crore for disbursing salaries and pensions, which forms the state’s biggest expenses. In effect, the state can borrow only up to Rs 13,390 crore for the stated period for meeting various expenses. Last year, the state was allowed to borrow Rs 23,000 crore.

The state has been maintaining that the Centre’s discriminatory approach towards Kerala has been smothering the state. In February this year, the state had received a communique from the Centre that its borrowing limit for the last quarter of the last financial year has been limited to Rs 937 crore, by cutting down the expected limit by Rs 2,700 crore. Though the norms say that the state can borrow up to a maximum of 3% of the GDP, the Centre had also included the Resources raised through KIIFB and the Kerala social security pension limited under the state’s borrowings, thereby reducing the limit of state’s further borrowing capacity.

As per article 293 (3) of the Constitution, the state cannot, without the Union Government‘s Consent, raise any loan if there is still any outstanding part of a loan which has been made to the state by the Centre or in respect of which a guarantee has been given by the Centre.

With multiple cases of mucormycosis or black fungus infections among patients who have recovered from Covid being reported across the state Health minister K Sudhakar put the figure at 97 the on Monday declared it a notifiable disease.

This means hospitals treating such patients should report it to authorities. It will be illegal if any hospital withholds information on black fungus patients it is treating.

The state government has formed an expert panel to managemucormycosis infections. The committee members include well-known ENT surgeons, ophthalmologists and intensivists in Bengaluru. They have been asked to draft guidelines on treating the infection.

The share of the state’s gender budget grew from 11.5% in 2018 to 20.9% in 2023, said Women and child development ministerVeena Georgeon Tuesday. The government is focusing more on https://exam.pscnotes.com/gender-BUDGETING“>Gender Budgeting to promote gender-sensitive policies and schemes, she added.

George cited the Kudumbashree programme, launched in 1998, as a key factor in empowering women in the state. “As one of the largest networks of women in India, Kudumbashree has successfully promoted Entrepreneurship and fostered the devolution of power to Panchayati Raj institutions and communities,” she said. She pointed out the government’s focus on addressing wages, safety, occupational Health and Insurance issues for women in various occupational groups.

The state reported 1,836 cases from 30,504 samples tested in the last 24 hours.TPRis at 6.01%.

With 41 more deaths in the past few days recorded as Covid deaths and 83 deaths added from appeals received, the death toll has climbed to 66,136.

Total active cases are 15,825, of which 8.5% of people are admitted either in hospitals or other treatment centres. At the same time, 2,988 patients have recovered.Ernakulamreported maximum number of cases – 350.

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.

The government has constituted a five-member committee of experts to design the decorum, certificate and the medal for the recently instituted Kerala Awards, on the lines of the of the Centre.

Once the government clears the design and the model, it will be finalized and will be permanently the awards identity. The award will be conferred from the current year.
The cabinet had in October last year decided to institute state governments awards on the lines of Padma Awards that will be conferred on those who have excelled and made exemplary contributions to the Society in various fields from the state.
The government had decided to confer three types of awards -Kerala Jyothi,Kerala Prabhaand Kerala Sri. WhileKerala Jyothiwill be conferred on one person, Kerala Prabha andKerala Sriawards will be given to two and five individuals, respectively.