The Karnataka government should provide advanced medical care to the People’s Democratic Party leader, Abdul Nasser Maudani, in consultation with the Karnataka High Court, said K.M. Mani, Minister for Law and Finance.
Mr Mani was addressing a Meet-the-Press programme at the Pathanamthitta Press Club on Saturday afternoon.
Mr Mani said the health condition of Maudany, who is one of the 31 accused in the 2008 Bangalore serial blast case, is said to be serious.
According to Mr Mani, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has already said the government will sent a delegation to Karnataka to enquire about the health condition of Maudani in the jail.
Retirement age
The Finance Minister said raising the retirement age of Government employees was not in the Government’s agenda or consideration.
He said the State Entrepreneur Development Mission (SEDM), announced in the Budget for the current financial year, aimed at providing self-employment training to 50,000 people in the next five years, thereby generating not less than six lakh employment opportunities was fast picking up.
Mr Mani said a total of 845 persons have availed themselves of training and 337 industrial units have already been launched as part of the mission as on Saturday. He said 40 units have already started production, amply indicting its public acceptance.
Lottery
The Finance Minister said the Government could successfully salvage the State from the plunder of the lobby of the outside the State lottery lobby. The revenue of the Lottery department has gone up to Rs 1780 crore now from Rs 700 during the previous Left Democratic Front rule of the State.
A total of 63 draws have been made under the Karunya lottery scheme, facilitating medical treatment worth Rs 56 crore to 5404 patients as on Saturday, he said.
Price rise
Mr Mani said the Government has taken steps to check the price rise of various essential commodities through the Consumerfed and Supplyco.
The schemes to provide quality rice at a highly subsidised rate of one rupee a kg to the BPL category and Rs 2 a kg (a maximum of 9 kg) for the APL category was a right and revolutionary step in this regard, he added.
Mr Victor T.Thomas, Kerala Congress(M) district president, was also present.
