Kerala cabinet approves ₹982 crore development fund

The Kerala cabinet on Wednesday allocated Rs 982.01 crore for the implementation of development projects proposed by the people at various 'Nava Kerala Sadas' gatherings held across the state last year.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet members had visited all 140 Assembly constituencies and interacted with the people at the ‘Nava Kerala’ meets and project proposals that came up during the talks are being taken up for implementation, an official release here said.

The guidelines prepared by the state planning board for the implementation of these projects were approved by the cabinet with amendments.

A committee comprising the chief secretary, secretary, programme implementation evaluation and monitoring document portal (PIE&MD) and the district collectors concerned have been empowered to take up the development works on a priority basis, the release said.

A maximum amount of Rs 7 crore will be allocated in each Assembly constituency. An announcement will be made later in the case of Malappuram district, where election code of conduct is in force.

The cabinet also decided to sanction additional posts in government and aided schools in the state. As per the post determination conducted for the academic year 2024-2025, 915 additional posts have been sanctioned in 552 schools in the government sector and 1,304 additional posts have also been sanctioned in 658 aided schools.

The decision is subject to conditions with effect from October 1, 2024, and separate notification will be issued later in Malappuram, the release said.

The cabinet also decided to seek permission from the central government to kill wild animals that posed threat to life and property.

The Forest and Wildlife department has been asked to initiate steps for securing permission from the central government for the killing of wild boars and other wild animals that posed a threat to human life and property.

The Forest secretary has been tasked to submit a proposal for the necessary legislation in this regard in consultation with the Law secretary, the release said.

The cabinet also decided to appoint Harishree M, who represented Kerala at the 35th National Games and won a bronze medal in rugby, as a supernumerary clerk in the Sports and Youth Affairs department.