Revenue and Housing Minister K. Rajan said here on Friday that a disaster management literacy programme would be launched in Kerala under the aegis of the Revenue Department in association with other departments including Health, Fire and Rescue Services, Police and educational institutions.
Mr. Rajan was speaking after inaugurating the Koodali Smart Village Office building. He said basic literacy should be created on disaster management in the State.
This was to create awareness among the people and to coordinate the relief activities so that the people could be informed in advance about natural disasters. This would help in overcoming the frequent natural calamities in Kerala, the Minister said.
On the issue of land ownership, Mr. Rajan said that 50 years after the Land Reform Act, there were a number of issues that needed to be resolved. In addition to strengthening land tribunals and taluk land boards and expediting the issuance of documents to all eligible persons, it was also the duty of the government to confiscate land from illegal owners and distribute it to the landless.
A dashboard would be launched in January to bring the land issues of the people on one platform, the Minister said.
The Koodali Smart Village Office was built at a cost of ₹44 lakh. The single-storey building has five rooms, including the village officer’s office, office room and a public waiting room, as well as three toilets and a veranda.
K.K. Shailaja Teacher, MLA, presided over the function. District Panchayat President P.P. Divya, standing committee chairman V.K. Suresh Babu, District Collector S. Chandrasekhar, ADM K. Divakaran and other officials attended the event.
