Domestic consumers of electricity using up to 120 units of electricity a month will not have to pay higher tariffs.
The Cabinet decided on Wednesday to continue subsidy for this category of power consumers, subject to review after three months. The recent hike announced by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission would not apply to the consumers, since the government is hiking the quantum of subsidy.
The government has been paying Rs. 35.5 crore as subsidy to the State Electricity Board to offset an earlier tariff hike for consumers using up to 120 units. This would now go up by Rs. 10 crore.
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The Cabinet decided to reconstitute the committee formed to study the legal possibilities for setting up a tribunal for claiming compensation for endosulfan victims from pesticide companies.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the media after the Cabinet meeting that retired High Court Judge C. N. Ramachandran Nair, who is now chairman of the Dam Safety Commission, would head the committee in place of Advocate General K. P. Dandapani. The Advocate General had pointed out technical difficulties in being a member of the committee since he would have to appear on behalf of the government in cases against government in related matters.
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The Director General of Prosecution and Law Secretary would continue as members. The Committee is to submit its report in three months.
The Chief Minister said that a one time assistance of Rs. 3000 would be paid to the workers of the Comtrust factory in Kozhikode as the Bill for take over Comtrust was awaiting Presidential assent. There was delay in getting the assent as the Bill had to be vetted by different Union ministries. The State government was closely monitoring progress in the matter.
Mr. Chandy said that the Committee headed by P. A. Mohammed overseeing admissions and fee structure in self-financing professional colleges would be reconstituted with the retired judge of the High Court J. M. James as chairman.