The Cabinet decided on Wednesday to undertake the priority-sector ranking of families under the Food Security Act on the taluk basis.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the media after Cabinet meeting that taluk-wise ranking would help to increase coverage. It would also be convenient for administrative purposes and ration cards management. The Cabinet took the decision on the basis of the recommendations of its subcommittee comprising Ministers Anoop Jacob, Adoor Prakash, and Manjalamkuzhi Ali.
The Chief Minister said that the Act would cover 154.8 lakh people under priority ranking. On the basis of sample survey held in 2001, it was found that 52.63 per cent of people living in rural areas and 39.5 per cent of people in urban areas in the State fell under the priority category.
According to the 2011 Census, the State’s population was 333.87 lakh of whom 174.55 lakh and 159.32 lakh lived in the rural and urban areas respectively. Of them, 91.868 lakh living in rural areas and 62.93 lakh in urban areas would get priority status. As per latest estimates, about 60 lakh people would get rice at Re.1 a kg under the Act, besides those already getting the benefit under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana or as BPL card holders.
Mr. Chandy announced that sports persons winning individual medals at the 35th National Games would be given a job in government service. The Cabinet decided to allocate 600 acres of Cochin Malabar Estates and Industries at Kinaloor in Kozhikode district to workers of the estate as a service benefit upon take over the estates by the government. The transfer of land will be exempted from stamp duty.
It also decided to give eight acres of land from 25 acres belonging to the Agriculture Department at Iravon village in Kozhencherry taluk on lease to the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangatan for setting up a Kendriya Vidyalaya. The Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM-K), will be given 1.73 acres in Attipra village of Thiruvananthapuram district on a 30-year lease for establishing a research and educational campus. The lease rent will be Rs.100 a cent per year subject to conditions.
Rs.13 crore will be allocated to State Cashew Development Corporation for reopening of its factories. A sum of Rs.3 crore will be sanctioned to various departments for improving basic amenities in connection with Attukal Pongala festival.
Games medal winners to be given government jobs
IIM-K to be given land at Attipra in capital
