Latest news with #LIFEMission
United News of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Shah's inaction against Pinarayi indicates a CPM-BJP deal: KPCC President
Thiruvananthapuram, July 14 (UNI) Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President Sunny Joseph today alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken no action against the Pinarayi Vijayan led state Government despite calling the regime corrupt, indicating a political deal between the BJP and CPI(M). Though Amit Shah, during his visit to Kerala, listed several instances of corruption in the state government, the central investigation agencies under his ministry probing these cases do not appear sincere in proving his claims, the Congress leader claimed. "Amit Shah must now explain the status of investigations by central agencies into cases such as the Dollar Smuggling, Gold Smuggling, Exalogic, and LIFE Mission scams. These probes have virtually come to a standstill. Who gave the order to halt these investigations ? Wasn't it Amit Shah himself ? Instead of taking real action, he is now deceiving the public with mere political rhetoric," the KPCC President alleged. Pinarayi Vijayan, "who never dares to offend the RSS or BJP, is being kept in power to serve their interests," Sunny Joseph added. He claimed this is driven by Amit Shah's and BJP's blind opposition to the Congress. "While central agencies aggressively pursue non-BJP leaders over baseless allegations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan - accused in multiple corruption cases - is being given complete protection" he opined. If Amit Shah is sincere in what he says, he must take action, Sunny Joseph demanded. UNI DS AAB RKM
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Data bank of unused land for LIFE Mission on the cards
A data bank of unused land available with various government departments will soon be ready in Kozhikode district to support the speedy implementation of housing projects under the State government's Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment (LIFE) Mission. Heads of various local self-government bodies have said that they will be able to identify at least one or two acres of unused land in their respective areas and exchange the details with the Revenue department within a few weeks to support the initiative. 'As per the instructions we received, the District Collector will be able to take over such properties directly without any technical hurdles and include them in the data bank for future use. The only requirement is to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the original landholders concerned,' said a senior officer with the LIFE Mission. He added that grama panchayats and municipalities have already been asked to locate two acres and one acre of unused land, respectively, within their limits for this purpose. According to Revenue department sources, the majority of government departments have already reviewed their land records and identified unused plots that can be allocated for the housing initiative. Some departments have also submitted preliminary data, along with supporting land documents, to the authorities concerned for initial verification. 'Private landowners and corporate entities can also contribute to the initiative by donating unused land to the Revenue department to help fulfill the dream of the homeless. 'Manassode Ithiri Mannu' is one such special campaign launched by the government to encourage participation,' said an assistant engineer associated with the LIFE Mission projects. He added that generous people from various parts of the Kozhikode district have already donated over 90 cents of land to the authorities. As per the government records, most of the private landowners who voluntarily participated in the scheme in Kozhikode district are from panchayats such as Thalakkulathur, Kottur, Kunnamangalam, Villiappally, Koodaranhi, Perumanna, Chakkittappara, and Omassery. Officials from the Local Self-Government department said they expect more voluntary donors from other panchayats once the data bank is completed. In Kozhikode district, the LIFE Mission has successfully addressed the housing needs of 33,477 homeless people across three phases so far. Support from various government departments, State-level schemes, and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana was crucial to the timely completion of these projects. Officials said future projects will mainly focus on around 3,000 landless families identified as extremely poor across the State.
The Hindu
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Gold smuggling case in Kerala the ‘biggest govt.-sponsored scam' in the country, says Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala on Saturday (July 12, 2025), describing the 2020 gold smuggling case as the 'biggest State government-sponsored scam' the entire country has seen. Mr. Shah also reiterated the Narendra Modi government's resolve to end Naxalism by the end of March 2026. Mr. Shah was addressing ward-level leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Viksit Kerala convention, which also set the stage for the formal launch of the party's campaign for the crucial local body elections scheduled for later this year. Both the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), which have alternately ruled in Kerala, have a track record of corruption and appeasement and vote bank politics, Mr. Shah said. While the people of Kerala gave them ample opportunities, the two fronts gave in return only violence, corruption, creation of vote banks, appeasement, and the fostering of anti-national elements. 'Countless scams' The LDF rule has been plagued by countless scams including those related to the cooperative societies, the LIFE Mission, PPE kits and the Exalogic controversy, but the gold smuggling case ranks as the biggest government-sponsored scam, he said. UDF rule, which he described as being on the point of 'winding up,' also has been infested with scams, according to him. He said that the time is now ripe for the BJP to come to power in Kerala. In the 2025 local body elections, the BJP will contest in over 21,000 wards, with the aim of securing over 25% of the votes. In the 2026 State Assembly elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will seek to come to power in the State, he said. 'In the 2014 elections, Kerala gave 11% votes to the BJP. In 2019 it rose to 16% and in 2024, to 20%. Now it is time for the BJP to make a government here,' he said. BJP is no more a 'growing party' in Kerala. The party has now considerable reach in every booth in the State, he said. He appealed to the people of the State to stop choosing between LDF and UDF, and vote for the BJP. 'Viksit Kerala' is impossible without the BJP, he said. On Viksit Kerala He described corruption-free governance, discrimination-free implementation of government programmes, and holding Kerala's development above vote bank politics as the three foundations of the concept of Viksit Kerala. While both BJP and CPI(M) are cadre parties, the critical difference between them is that the CPI(M) places the development of its cadres above that of Kerala, Mr. Shah said. For the BJP, 'developed Kerala' holds priority over the development of its cadres, he said. BJP State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who presided, said the party State unit would launch an intense and united 'Mission 2025' campaign over the next four months in the run-up to the local body polls. Minister of State for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry George Kurian, party general secretaries M.T. Ramesh, Shobha Surendran and S. Suresh, senior leaders K. Surendran, V. Muraleedharan, P.K. Krishnadas and A.N. Radhakrishnan were among those present. P.C. George, retired IPS officer R. Sreelekha, Padmaja Venugopal and Anil Antony were also present. Earlier in the day, Mr. Shah inaugurated the new office of the State unit of the BJP 'Mararji Bhavan' near Aristo Junction.
New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Cabinet approval for registration fee exemption for LIFE Mission land
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet meeting has decided to exempt stamp duty and registration fees for land pooled for the LIFE Mission free housing project of the government. This is applicable to land parcels received as donation, sale or any other mode. The beneficiary will have to submit a certificate from the district collector or a tahsildar assigned by him stating that the land is for house construction under the Mission. The exemption is for two years from the date of order. The meeting approved the tripartite agreement for the Wayanad Township project. Project's special officer S Suhas has been assigned with its implementation. A tribal taluk supply office will be established at Attappady. Rs 95,32,500 will be sanctioned from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) to provide assistance to 473 people who lost their houses, either fully or partially, in natural disasters in Pathanamthitta since 2023. The meeting decided to implement the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules 2024 in the state. Retired district judge E Baiju will be reappointed as Kerala Lok Ayukta Registrar for another two years. Retirement age in Kerala Feeds, the PSU under the Animal Husbandry Department, will be raised from 58 to 60 years. Rs 2.86 lakh will be sanctioned from the CMDRF to reimburse the treatment cost of literacy activist late K V Rabia. The government guarantee for the Kerala Social Security Pension Limited will be raised from Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 14,000 crore.
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Cabinet nod for Wayanad township tripartite deal
The Cabinet on Thursday approved a tripartite agreement for implementing the Wayanad model township project to rehabilitate the survivors of the landslides last year. S. Suhas, who is the special officer for the township project, has been tasked with implementing the agreement between the district disaster management authority, contractors, and sponsors. In another decision, the Cabinet decided to allow relaxation in stamp duty and registration fee to beneficiaries under the LIFE Mission for registration of land that may have been gifted to them, purchased, or received some other way for building houses. An affidavit from the District Collector or official deputed by the Collector not below the rank of tahsildar that the person who received the land is a LIFE Mission project beneficiary and that the land is intended for constructing a house under the LIFE Mission should be produced along with registration documents. The relaxation will be in effect for two years from the date of the order. Destroyed in floods Stamp duty and registration fee will be exempted for registration of title deed for handing over houses built by the Muthoot Pappachan Foundation for nine individuals in Chittar village, Pathanamthitta, after their houses were destroyed in the floods. An amount of ₹95,32,500 will be released from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund for distribution to 473 disaster-affected whose houses were destroyed or damaged in natural disasters in Pathanamthitta since 2023 January. The Cabinet decided to set up a tribal taluk supply office at Attappady in Palakkad district and create one post each of taluk supply officer, assistant taluk supply officer, and rationing inspector. Other staff will be redeployed from the Civil Supplies department. It decided to implement the Telecommunications (Right of Way) Rules, 2024, in the State. The Cabinet decided to allow ₹2,86,293 spent on the treatment of literacy advocate and Padma Shri awardee K.V. Rabiya to Aarifa, one of her sisters, from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. A government guarantee of ₹50 crore for five years will be allowed to Kerala State Development Corporation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Ltd. subject to conditions for taking loan from National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation. The government guarantee for Kerala Social Security Pension Ltd. will be raised from ₹6,000 crore to ₹14,000 crore. Reappointment E. Baiju, former district judge, will be reappointed Kerala Lok Ayukta Registrar for a period of two years. He is a resident of Thirumala in Thiruvananthapuram. The retirement age of employees of Kerala Feeds Ltd. under the Animal Husbandry department who come under the EPF pension limit has been enhanced from 58 to 60 years. Karthika S. Pillai, daughter of N. Sivarama Pillai who died in 2015 while working as forest watcher under the Forest department, will be given a job as a clerk in the Forest department in Kollam under the die-in-harness scheme. The draft of the amendment ordinance to exempt National University of Advanced Legal Studies from the purview of the Kerala Public Service Commission (Additional Functions as Respects the Services under the Universities) Act has been approved. It was decided to recommend promulgation of the ordinance to the Governor. A year-long extension from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, will be given to the land conservancy unit at Travancore Devaswom Board's land conservancy wing special tahsildar office that comprises six posts.
