The first meeting of the newly sworn-in Cabinet on Wednesday evening decided to reconstitute the police team investigating the gruesome rape and murder of the Dalit law student at Perumbavoor.
Briefing the media after the meeting, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Additional Director General of Police B. Sandhya would lead the new team. He added that the Cabinet had discussed the public concern over serious lapses in the investigation right from the inquest to the cremation of the victim’s body.
The meeting also decided to expedite the rehabilitation of the student’s family. The Ernakulam District Collector was asked to ensure that the construction of a house for the family was completed in 45 days. The Collector was also told to expedite the process of providing a government job to the victim’s sister. The Cabinet decided to provide a monthly pension of Rs.5,000 to her mother.
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Mr. Vijayan said the government would strengthen the Civil Supplies Corporation and professionalise it under plans to tackle the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. He added that the budgetary outlay of Rs.75 crore for the corporation will be doubled, while weeding out corruption and inefficiency.
The Cabinet directed all departments to report vacancies in 10 days. The Chief Secretary will monitor the reporting process on a daily basis.
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The Chief Minister said welfare pension would be enhanced to Rs.1,000, besides taking steps to clear dues. The Chief Secretary has been directed to report on the possibility of providing pension on the doorstep of senior citizens and bed-ridden beneficiaries.
Plan implementation
The Cabinet resolved to go ahead with the 13{+t}{+h}Five Year Plan and retain the Planning Board mechanism. “Notwithstanding the Central government’s decision to wind up the Planning Commission, we will go ahead with the Plan activities in Kerala. The government and local bodies will initiate the Plan implementation process soon,” Mr. Vijayan said.
The meeting constituted a sub-committee, with A.K. Balan as convenor, to examine the controversial decisions taken by the previous UDF government at the fag end of its term. “The committee will study the decisions since January 2016 to see if there was any illegality,” the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Vijayan said the government would convene a meeting of various departments on May 27 to discuss pre-monsoon cleaning activities. He added that he would travel to Delhi on May 28 to call on the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and the Union Finance Minister. “It will be a courtesy call with no other agenda”.