Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes and Tourism A.P. Anil Kumar told the Assembly on Thursday that the Tourism Department would take steps to keep tourism centres clean.
Replying to the debate on the demands for grants for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes and Tourism, the Minister said decentralised waste management would be introduced at tourism centres such as Kovalam and Kumarakom.
Mr. Anil Kumar said seaplane services would soon be introduced in the State. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation would operate a tourist coach attached to Island Express. Elevizhapoonchira in Kollam would be developed as an international tourism destination. “Take a break” rest houses would be set up at Santhigiri, near Thiruvananthapuram.
The Minister said funding would not be a problem for the medical college to be set up by his department. It would make higher number of seats available to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes compared to what is available in other self-financing colleges.
A sum of Rs.20,000 would be provided to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students for coaching for entrance examinations.
He noted that the government had already raised the stipend for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students to Rs.750. This would be increased to Rs.1,000 for high school students from next year. Education loans for them had been enhanced to Rs.3 lakh.
The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe women would be given Rs.1,000 a month during pregnancy and after child birth for six months.
