Kerala announces Rs. 3,000 crores agriculture revival package

Thiruvananthapuram, April 29: In a bid to ensure food security and employment generation, Kerala today announced a Rs. 3,000 crores package for the revival of the agriculture sector. Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan announced that the government plans to spend Rs. 3,000 crores in the next one year to boost food production and revive agriculture. Out of this, Rs. 1,500 crores will be raised from the plan allocation of LSG bodies and various departments and the remaining Rs. 1,500 crores will be provided as loans from NABARD and the Co-operative Sector.

The agriculture department has come up with a massive programme to use the fallow land for farming from next month. The project will be implemented in all LSG bodies by utilising the wasteland in their areas. The aim of the Agriculture Department is to revitalize agriculture, increase the revenue of farmers, attract youths to farming, and also as a rehabilitation project for expatriates who have lost their jobs.

The Agriculture Department has prepared a draft plan and it has been decided to finalise the plan and start the implementation soon. The plan also envisages increasing livestock, milk and egg production, and aquaculture development. All local bodies will make necessary changes to the annual plan before May 15th for the implementation of this plan to include food security projects.

“If the owner of the land wants to cultivate the land, the government will support the owner. Otherwise, self-help groups or Kudumbasree or Panchayat-led committee can use the land for cultivation. Various departments like Animal Husbandry, Irrigation, Cooperation, Fisheries, Industries, SC & ST Welfare will be involved in this project to be coordinated by the Agriculture Department”, the Chief Minister added.

Short term and long term programmes are included in the plan. The short term plan is for crop yields in the next June and September. Creating and improving infrastructure for the people will come as part of the long term plan. Increased food production would also need better and new cold chain facilities.

As per the Agriculture Department, there are 1.09 lakh hectares of wasteland in the state. It is estimated that 1.4 lakh hectares can be used for intercropping. As farming spreads and production increases, new agricultural markets will be opened in villages and towns and would also explore digital marketing systems. There will be an emphasis on value-added products.

Minister of Health & Social Justice, Smt K K Shailaja; Revenue Minister, Shri E Chandrasekharan, and Chief Secretary, Shri Tom Jose IAS were also present during the media briefing.

Kerala brings ordinance to defer Government employees’ salary

Thiruvananthapuram, April 29: In the wake of the financial crisis created by the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kerala government had decided to defer the payment of six days salary of government employees for the next five months but the Kerala High Court had stayed the order. Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan announced that in the context of the High Court order, the cabinet meeting held today has decided to recommend to the Governor to promulgate an ordinance to give legal effect to the government's decision. 

Giving details, the Chief Minister said, “The Kerala Disaster and Public Health Emergency (Special Provisions) Ordinance 2020 would empower the State government to defer the salary of an employee by an amount not exceeding one-fourth of the total monthly pay, for managing a situation arising out of a disaster or public health emergency. There is a provision to give back the deferred pay to the employee.” This would be applicable to all government employees, employees of all State-owned Enterprises, Public Sector Undertakings, Quasi-Government organisations, Universities, etc in the State. 

The CM also informed that it has been decided to recommend to the Governor to issue an ordinance to effect a 30% cut in the monthly gross salary or honorarium of all elected representatives in the State - Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, members of different Boards under the Government and members of Local Self Government bodies, for a period of one year. There would be a 30% deduction in the MLA’s monthly amenity fund also.

Kerala Covid-19 Tracker

Ten new cases & Ten recoveries today, total 123 patients under treatment

Thiruvananthapuram, April 29: Kerala Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan today informed that ten new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Kerala today – six from Kollam district and two each in Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod districts. Two of them have returned from other States and eight are cases of local transmission. This includes three healthcare workers in Kollam district and a television journalist from Kasargod district.

Meanwhile, ten patients under treatment for Coronavirus have tested negative today. Three patients each from Kannur, Kozhikode and Kasargod districts, one from Pathanamthitta district are those who were cured of the disease.

So far, 495 cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Kerala and 123 patients are under treatment in different hospitals in the State.

20,673 persons are under surveillance across the State. 20,172 persons are quarantined at their homes and 501 are isolated in hospitals. 84 people were admitted to hospitals. Till now 24,952 samples have been sent for testing and 23,880 samples have tested negative with no infection. 

875 samples from people in a high-risk group - healthcare workers, migrant labourers and those with higher public contacts were tested and so far, 801 samples have so far tested negative. The results of 25 samples sent for retest are awaited.

“One panchayat each in Idukki and Kasargod districts have been declared as hotspots taking the total number of hotspots in the State to 102. Presently, there are 47 patients under treatment for Covid-19 in Kannur district, followed by 18 in Kottayam district, 15 in Kollam district, 14 in Idukki district and 12 in Kasargod district. There are no patients in Thrissur, Alappuzha and Wayanad districts”, the Chief Minister added.