Thiruvananthapuram: The Opposition today raised allegations in the House saying that Kerala is turning out to be a land of goons. C P Muhammad raised these allegations when he wanted an adjournment motion to discuss the daylight murder of a housewife in Palakkad. Muhammad said that robbery and murder have become an ordeal and the law and order system in the state have completely broken down.
Replying to the allegation, Law Minister M Vijayakumar, on behalf of the Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, said that the probe into the Palakkad murder has been intensified. The probe will be conducted under Thrissur Range IG Muhammad Yassen.
Two groups comprising two CIs under a Palakkad SP are investigating the murder. The minister said that the guilty will be held very soon. After the reply, the Speaker denied permission to move an adjournment motion.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Kerala police arrest man on suspicion of planting crude bomb
March 23, 2010
Bangalore: The Kerala police have identified a person, suspected of planting a crude bomb in Kingfisher flight IT-4731 at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.Unconfirmed reports said that the man had been detained.
Meanwhile, the Kerala police also the found that the newspaper in which the bomb was wrapped was circulated in Nedumangad, about 18 km from the state capital. A senior police officer in Kerala said that the bomb was probably placed before passengers had boarded the flight on Saturday night.It was learnt that an interrogation of the cleaning staff had not yielded any results.
The flight, which reached the Bengaluru International Airport on Saturday night, returned to Thiruvananthapuram the next morning with 27 passengers and four crew members.
A Kerala police team, headed by Thiruvananthapuram city police commmissioner MR Ajith Kumar had, on Sunday, interrogated more than 20 people who were on duty at the Bangalore airport.
The investigating team also grilled airline officials before returning. The Bangalore police also questioned those on duty at the cargo section and security check points of the airport.
“We suspect the involvement of outsourced employees (caterers and loaders) as nobody else – with the exception of the cabin crew – has access to the galley at the rear of the aircraft,” an airport official said. Ruling out the possibility of passengers or other airport workers being involved, he said, “Nobody else is allowed to enter that area of the aircraft. We are only looking at people who have access to that section.”
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of police (north-east) Basavaraj Y Malagatti said that the fact that the bomb was wrapped in the Thiruvananthapuram edition of a Malayalam newspaper, dated March 17, 2010, and a Kerala SSLC question paper suggested that the crude bomb was placed into the aircraft at Thiruvananthapuram.
Malagatti said that the city police were waiting for their Kerala counterparts to complete their part of the investigation. “We have formed five teams to probe the case from the Bangalore side. We will be sharing information with our Kerala counterparts,” he said.
Bangalore: The Kerala police have identified a person, suspected of planting a crude bomb in Kingfisher flight IT-4731 at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport.Unconfirmed reports said that the man had been detained.
Meanwhile, the Kerala police also the found that the newspaper in which the bomb was wrapped was circulated in Nedumangad, about 18 km from the state capital. A senior police officer in Kerala said that the bomb was probably placed before passengers had boarded the flight on Saturday night.It was learnt that an interrogation of the cleaning staff had not yielded any results.
The flight, which reached the Bengaluru International Airport on Saturday night, returned to Thiruvananthapuram the next morning with 27 passengers and four crew members.
A Kerala police team, headed by Thiruvananthapuram city police commmissioner MR Ajith Kumar had, on Sunday, interrogated more than 20 people who were on duty at the Bangalore airport.
The investigating team also grilled airline officials before returning. The Bangalore police also questioned those on duty at the cargo section and security check points of the airport.
“We suspect the involvement of outsourced employees (caterers and loaders) as nobody else – with the exception of the cabin crew – has access to the galley at the rear of the aircraft,” an airport official said. Ruling out the possibility of passengers or other airport workers being involved, he said, “Nobody else is allowed to enter that area of the aircraft. We are only looking at people who have access to that section.”
Meanwhile, deputy commissioner of police (north-east) Basavaraj Y Malagatti said that the fact that the bomb was wrapped in the Thiruvananthapuram edition of a Malayalam newspaper, dated March 17, 2010, and a Kerala SSLC question paper suggested that the crude bomb was placed into the aircraft at Thiruvananthapuram.
Malagatti said that the city police were waiting for their Kerala counterparts to complete their part of the investigation. “We have formed five teams to probe the case from the Bangalore side. We will be sharing information with our Kerala counterparts,” he said.
Kashmir recruitment: NIA seeks re-investigation
Kochi: The National Investigation Agency told the CBI court on Tuesday that it wants a re-investigation into the case in which Kerala youth were recruited to Kashmir for terror-related activities. The special CBI court will take up the NIA appeal in the afternoon.
Those accused in the case have been remanded till April 6. They have been taken to the Viyoor central jail in Thrissur. The seven accused were produced before the Kochi court. Thadiyandevida Naseer and Shafaz are also among the 23 accused in the case. Three are still to be traced.
The case which was investigated by the police was transferred to the NIA, which has sought a re-investigation into the case. The inveatigations into the Kalamassery bus burning case, Kozhikode twin blasts case, Ernakulam collectorate blast, Beypore blast, Valappatanam Mattanur bomb case is also going on
Those accused in the case have been remanded till April 6. They have been taken to the Viyoor central jail in Thrissur. The seven accused were produced before the Kochi court. Thadiyandevida Naseer and Shafaz are also among the 23 accused in the case. Three are still to be traced.
The case which was investigated by the police was transferred to the NIA, which has sought a re-investigation into the case. The inveatigations into the Kalamassery bus burning case, Kozhikode twin blasts case, Ernakulam collectorate blast, Beypore blast, Valappatanam Mattanur bomb case is also going on
Saturday, March 6, 2010
State per capita debt highest in south India
Kerala leads the south Indian states with a per capita debt of Rs.14,629 in 2007, according to the Economic Review 2009 tabled in the state assembly Thursday.
The figure is significantly higher than the national average of Rs.9,754. Kerala's per capita debt has been on the rise in the past few years. It was Rs.9,512 in 2003, Rs.11,478 in 2004 and Rs.12,503 in 2005 and Rs.13,588 in 2006.
Andhra Pradesh with a per capita debt of Rs.11,912 follows Kerala. Tamil Nadu has a per capita debt of Rs.9,094 and Karnataka Rs.8,590.
The increase comes at a time when the total public debt of the state according to the 2009-10 budget estimate is Rs.67,180 crore, up from Rs.63,270 crore for 2008-09.
The break-up of the debt of the state for 2009-10 includes an internal debt of Rs.43,882 crore,small savings provident fund Rs.16,414 crore, loans and advances from the central government Rs.7,384 crore.
According to the 2001 Census, Kerala's population stands at 318.41 lakh which includes 163.72 lakh women and 154.69 lakh men.
The per capta income of the state is at Rs 35,457 crore, which is higher than the national average. Growth in agriculture production has come down though the production had gone up, mainly of rice and milk. Cultivable land for rice too has expanded to 2.34 lakh hectares bringing up the production to 11.74 per cent (5.89 percent for the previous year).
Though the export rate is down, profit of PSUs have increased. The fiscal deficit is 2.1 per cent of the GDP and the revenue deficit increased by .54 per cent. Interest income has gone up 13.99 per cent from last year.
The unemployment rate is at 45,22,000, said the survey report. The survey also said that the ASEAN deal is against the state interest.
The figure is significantly higher than the national average of Rs.9,754. Kerala's per capita debt has been on the rise in the past few years. It was Rs.9,512 in 2003, Rs.11,478 in 2004 and Rs.12,503 in 2005 and Rs.13,588 in 2006.
Andhra Pradesh with a per capita debt of Rs.11,912 follows Kerala. Tamil Nadu has a per capita debt of Rs.9,094 and Karnataka Rs.8,590.
The increase comes at a time when the total public debt of the state according to the 2009-10 budget estimate is Rs.67,180 crore, up from Rs.63,270 crore for 2008-09.
The break-up of the debt of the state for 2009-10 includes an internal debt of Rs.43,882 crore,small savings provident fund Rs.16,414 crore, loans and advances from the central government Rs.7,384 crore.
According to the 2001 Census, Kerala's population stands at 318.41 lakh which includes 163.72 lakh women and 154.69 lakh men.
The per capta income of the state is at Rs 35,457 crore, which is higher than the national average. Growth in agriculture production has come down though the production had gone up, mainly of rice and milk. Cultivable land for rice too has expanded to 2.34 lakh hectares bringing up the production to 11.74 per cent (5.89 percent for the previous year).
Though the export rate is down, profit of PSUs have increased. The fiscal deficit is 2.1 per cent of the GDP and the revenue deficit increased by .54 per cent. Interest income has gone up 13.99 per cent from last year.
The unemployment rate is at 45,22,000, said the survey report. The survey also said that the ASEAN deal is against the state interest.
Rs.50,000 crore rapid rail project to take off soon: minister
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac Saturday said the proposed Rs.50,000 crore rapid rail corridor project in the state could become a reality in six years.
Isaac told reporters that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been asked to prepare the preliminary report for which Rs.50 crore has been set aside in the state budget.
The proposed project would extend from the northern tip of the state to the southern point and the 600-km distance can be covered in six hours, he said.
'This proposed project is likely to come up with the help of the Indian Railways. This corridor can either pass by the side of the existingrailway track. Through this land required can be minimised,' said Isaac.
He said a separate company, in which the government will have a stake, would be set up.
'It could be on the lines of the Konkan Railway Corporation,' he said.
With regards to the funds, Isaac said state Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem has already come up with a proposal where a monetary institution is ready to fund the project.
'It has now proved beyond doubt that state government companies cannot execute such projects due to various reasons and hence it would be handed to independent corporations who will execute it in a time bound manner,' added Isaac.
Isaac told reporters that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has been asked to prepare the preliminary report for which Rs.50 crore has been set aside in the state budget.
The proposed project would extend from the northern tip of the state to the southern point and the 600-km distance can be covered in six hours, he said.
'This proposed project is likely to come up with the help of the Indian Railways. This corridor can either pass by the side of the existingrailway track. Through this land required can be minimised,' said Isaac.
He said a separate company, in which the government will have a stake, would be set up.
'It could be on the lines of the Konkan Railway Corporation,' he said.
With regards to the funds, Isaac said state Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem has already come up with a proposal where a monetary institution is ready to fund the project.
'It has now proved beyond doubt that state government companies cannot execute such projects due to various reasons and hence it would be handed to independent corporations who will execute it in a time bound manner,' added Isaac.
Kerala budget taxes liquor, proposes sops for tourism
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government's budget for 2010-11 today proposed to extend the ambit of welfare schemes like employment guarantee and food subsidy, reduce taxes on tourism, beer and wine and impose fresh ones
on direct to home services and jewellery shop owners.
While continuing with most of the schemes under the Rs 10,000-crore stimulus package unveiled last year during the
slowdown, State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in his budget announced fresh sops for the crisis-hit tourism sector by
slashing the luxury tax.
Luxury tax on tourism, a major revenue earner, was brought down to 7.5 per cent and 12.5 per cent in different
categories from 10 per cent and 15 per cent.
Among other highlights of the budget are the extension of the Rs 2-per-kg-rice scheme to labourers of the unorganised
sector from June and the employment guarantee scheme to the urban areas. The government has earmarked Rs 500 crore for the food subsidy plan that will benefit about 3.5 million families.
Possibly with an eye on the assembly polls next year, the budget also left VAT rates untouched but proposed a 10 per
cent hike in tax on liquor other than beer and wine.
The budget, showing a cumulative deficit of Rs 577.09 crore, also sharply brought down the stamp duty on registration of real estate property as a sop to recession-hit construction sector.
Stating that Kerala cannot get rid of the revenue deficit by 2014-15 as suggested by the 13th Finance Commission,
Issac said it would be Rs 3629.55 crore for the year, about 11.64 per cent of the state's revenue.
Total capital expenditure is pegged at Rs 4145.38 crore while the state plans to raise Rs 874.14 crore, mainly by
tapping non-tax sources.
Tax on beer and wine was slashed by 10 per cent, but that on other liquors was increased by 10 per cent.
The budget also sought to rationalise stamp duty and increased lifetime tax to 8 per cent for new motor cars and omni buses for private use, where engine capacityis 1500 cc and above.
A lifetime tax of six per cent ad valorem on all types of construction equipment vehicles was also imposed.
As the steep rise in gold prices had not been adequately reflected in the compounded tax, the budget refixed tax rates
increase payable by the Jewellery shop owners.
Direct to Home service was brought under the tax net, with a levy of one per cent tax on gross charges paid by
customers.
To protect small-scale Cable TV operators, it exempted those having less than 5000 connections from luxury tax.
The budget proposed to regularise conversion of paddy land into commercial land in revenue records prior to 2008 by
levying a fee on the basis of newly fixed fair value of land.
This will come into force from April next. Another proposal was to mobilise revenue from sand and silt mining from dams.
The budget pegged outlay for large-scale industries, tourism and IT sectors at Rs 412 crore and proposed to start
eight Public Sector Units with a total investment of Rs 125 crore.
An amount of Rs 275 crore was earmarked for expansion of existing PSUs and Rs 246 crore for protection of traditional
sectors.
The budget earmarked Rs 70 crore for development of IT parks at Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi and Cyber parks at
Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod.
on direct to home services and jewellery shop owners.
While continuing with most of the schemes under the Rs 10,000-crore stimulus package unveiled last year during the
slowdown, State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in his budget announced fresh sops for the crisis-hit tourism sector by
slashing the luxury tax.
Luxury tax on tourism, a major revenue earner, was brought down to 7.5 per cent and 12.5 per cent in different
categories from 10 per cent and 15 per cent.
Among other highlights of the budget are the extension of the Rs 2-per-kg-rice scheme to labourers of the unorganised
sector from June and the employment guarantee scheme to the urban areas. The government has earmarked Rs 500 crore for the food subsidy plan that will benefit about 3.5 million families.
Possibly with an eye on the assembly polls next year, the budget also left VAT rates untouched but proposed a 10 per
cent hike in tax on liquor other than beer and wine.
The budget, showing a cumulative deficit of Rs 577.09 crore, also sharply brought down the stamp duty on registration of real estate property as a sop to recession-hit construction sector.
Stating that Kerala cannot get rid of the revenue deficit by 2014-15 as suggested by the 13th Finance Commission,
Issac said it would be Rs 3629.55 crore for the year, about 11.64 per cent of the state's revenue.
Total capital expenditure is pegged at Rs 4145.38 crore while the state plans to raise Rs 874.14 crore, mainly by
tapping non-tax sources.
Tax on beer and wine was slashed by 10 per cent, but that on other liquors was increased by 10 per cent.
The budget also sought to rationalise stamp duty and increased lifetime tax to 8 per cent for new motor cars and omni buses for private use, where engine capacityis 1500 cc and above.
A lifetime tax of six per cent ad valorem on all types of construction equipment vehicles was also imposed.
As the steep rise in gold prices had not been adequately reflected in the compounded tax, the budget refixed tax rates
increase payable by the Jewellery shop owners.
Direct to Home service was brought under the tax net, with a levy of one per cent tax on gross charges paid by
customers.
To protect small-scale Cable TV operators, it exempted those having less than 5000 connections from luxury tax.
The budget proposed to regularise conversion of paddy land into commercial land in revenue records prior to 2008 by
levying a fee on the basis of newly fixed fair value of land.
This will come into force from April next. Another proposal was to mobilise revenue from sand and silt mining from dams.
The budget pegged outlay for large-scale industries, tourism and IT sectors at Rs 412 crore and proposed to start
eight Public Sector Units with a total investment of Rs 125 crore.
An amount of Rs 275 crore was earmarked for expansion of existing PSUs and Rs 246 crore for protection of traditional
sectors.
The budget earmarked Rs 70 crore for development of IT parks at Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi and Cyber parks at
Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod.
Isaac’s gift to CPM
06 Mar 2010
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The forthcoming polls to the Local Self-Government institutions has acted as a catalyst for the 2010-11 budget presented by Finance Minister Thomas Isaac.
The fact that 50 percent of seats in local bodies has been reserved for women in the election was evident in Isaac’s budget speech.
A slew of promises, ranging from rest rooms at bus stands to allocation of Rs 620 crore of the plan fund for women-friendly schemes, has been offered by Isaac as part of a strategy planned by the CPM.
The election to panchayats and municipalities will take place in August-September. Since 50 percent of seats has been reserved for women, their vote will prove crucial in the election.
The populist measures announced in the budget, including rice at Rs 2/kg, health insurance for more people and a hike of welfare pensions to Rs 300, clearly indicate that the LDF has formally launched its election campaign with the budget.
Politics had been an important ingredient of the two-and-aquarter- hour-long speech by Isaac. He touched the ASEAN free trade agreement and the illeffects of globalisation during the speech.
“One thing is clear. ASEAN countries can enter the national markets and seriously affect the cash crops of the state. This would destroy the state’s agriculture sector and bring back the dark era of farmer suicides,’’ said Isaac.
In the speech, the Finance Minister demanded a special package for Kerala to compensate the loss suffered due to the ASEAN agreement.
Even the measures suggested by the Minister for mobilising extra revenue are not harmful to the general public. When Pranab Mukherjee taxed petrol and diesel for making easy money, Isaac has decided to tax liquor for that.
Again, a move that will get applause from women voters.
After the serious setback suffered by the CPM in the last Lok Sabha polls, the party has been looking for an appropriate platform for launching its campaign for the next election. Thomas Isaac, through this budget, has gifted the party one.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The forthcoming polls to the Local Self-Government institutions has acted as a catalyst for the 2010-11 budget presented by Finance Minister Thomas Isaac.
The fact that 50 percent of seats in local bodies has been reserved for women in the election was evident in Isaac’s budget speech.
A slew of promises, ranging from rest rooms at bus stands to allocation of Rs 620 crore of the plan fund for women-friendly schemes, has been offered by Isaac as part of a strategy planned by the CPM.
The election to panchayats and municipalities will take place in August-September. Since 50 percent of seats has been reserved for women, their vote will prove crucial in the election.
The populist measures announced in the budget, including rice at Rs 2/kg, health insurance for more people and a hike of welfare pensions to Rs 300, clearly indicate that the LDF has formally launched its election campaign with the budget.
Politics had been an important ingredient of the two-and-aquarter- hour-long speech by Isaac. He touched the ASEAN free trade agreement and the illeffects of globalisation during the speech.
“One thing is clear. ASEAN countries can enter the national markets and seriously affect the cash crops of the state. This would destroy the state’s agriculture sector and bring back the dark era of farmer suicides,’’ said Isaac.
In the speech, the Finance Minister demanded a special package for Kerala to compensate the loss suffered due to the ASEAN agreement.
Even the measures suggested by the Minister for mobilising extra revenue are not harmful to the general public. When Pranab Mukherjee taxed petrol and diesel for making easy money, Isaac has decided to tax liquor for that.
Again, a move that will get applause from women voters.
After the serious setback suffered by the CPM in the last Lok Sabha polls, the party has been looking for an appropriate platform for launching its campaign for the next election. Thomas Isaac, through this budget, has gifted the party one.
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