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The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Karkidaka Vavu: TDB completes arrangements for Bali tharpanam
Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has made elaborate arrangements in its temples to facilitate smooth 'bali tharpanam' for devotees during Karkidaka Vavu day. Addressing media persons in Kottayam, Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan said preparations for this year's Karkidaka Vavu bali tharpanam were complete at all main centres. The performance of ritual will be held from 2:30 a.m. on July 24 to 12:42 a.m. the next day. 'Bali tharpanam ceremonies are being held in more than 100 temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board, including the Thiruvallam Parasuramaswamy Temple, Shanghumughom beach, Varkala, Thirumullavaram and sand bed at Aluva. All the preparations have already been completed in collaboration with various departments including KSRTC, police, Fire and Rescue Services, and Revenue,' he said. Steps have been taken to ensure that devotees should not be subjected to financial exploitation under any circumstances. Out of the 20 groups of the TDB, 15 groups have bali tharpanam centres. The rate for offering bali tharpanam in temples under the Board will be ₹100, which is inclusive of all expenses. The rate for the ritual 'thilahoma' inside temples will be ₹65. Deputy Devaswom Commissioners have been appointed as special officers in important temples. TDB is currently carrying out activities such as providing basic facilities for devotees in temples where bali tharpanam is being held, constructing temporary pavilions, erecting barricades, cleaning the temple and its surroundings and deputing priests required for the tharpanam. A special officer is also responsible for coordinating these activities at each location. Services of scuba teams have been ensured at all the dangerous piers. A decision has also been taken to depute more lifeguards at Shanghumughom. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has informed that arrangements will be made for cleaning activities at the places where bali tharpanam is held within its limits. The board appoints priests and co-priests as required inside the temples, mandapams and piers, where bali tharpanam ceremonies are held. The board has instructed the respective temple devaswoms to provide the necessary items for the ritual, distribute them, assign staff for cleaning, etc.
India Gazette
04-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Kerala government announces Rs. 50,000 financial aid to victim of Kottayam Medical College
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], July 4 (ANI): Minister for Ports and Cooperation and Minister for Devaswoms from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), V.N. Vasavan called the Kottayam Medical College building collapse an 'unfortunate' incident and informed that an amount of fifty thousand will be given to the affected family immediately by the Kerala government. He said, 'CM visited the spot yesterday itself. Rs 50,000 will be given as immediate help to the family. The State Cabinet will discuss and decide on financial help to the family. Kottayam Medical College is one of the best-performing hospitals in India. The incident is unfortunate.' He further clarified that there was no lapse from the government side and added, 'Did not ask to stop rescue operation, it was for making way to let the Hitachi excavator enter. Rescue was only possible with the help of a machine.' 'The health minister said yesterday that nobody was stuck there because the hospital superintendent told the minister that the building was not in use,' he further said. Shifting the blame on the previous government of the United Democratic Front (UDF), he said, 'In 2013, the PWD (Public Works Department) submitted a report about the condition of the building. Then the UDF government did not act on it.' Vasvan praised his party and also stated that if the UDF government had acted promptly, this incident would have been avoided. He also informed that the LDF government was using funds from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for the new building construction. 'After the LDF government came into power in 2016, a new building was completed using funds from KIIFB. If the then UDF government had acted on time, the building construction could have been completed earlier', he added. A building block of the Government Medical College Hospital in Kerala's Kottayam collapsed on Thursday. In the collapse, one person died and several were injured. (ANI)
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Kottayam becomes Kerala's first district to eradicate extreme poverty
The Kerala government's mission to eliminate extreme poverty achieved a major milestone on Saturday, with Kottayam becoming the first district in the State to be officially declared free of extreme poverty. Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh made the announcement at a function held in Kottayam. 'One of the first decisions taken by this government in 2021 was to eliminate extreme poverty by November 1, 2025. A Statewide survey conducted through Kudumbashree identified 64,006 families living in extreme poverty. Today, 93% of those families have been uplifted from that condition. The progress made by Kerala has drawn attention from across the country. In fact, such a targeted effort has only been seen previously in China,' the Minister said. From October 2021 According to V.N. Vasavan, Minister for Ports and Devaswom, the district has reached this milestone through a structured, four-year-long process under the Extreme Poverty Eradication Project (EPEP), launched in October 2021. The effort involved comprehensive data collection and community participation, with 1,344 enumeration teams and 2,688 enumerators assessing hardship based on food security, health, income, and housing. Kottayam became the first district to complete the poverty assessment on January 10, 2022. The final survey identified 903 individuals living in extreme poverty. A total of 978 micro-plans were then prepared and implemented through local self-government bodies to address their needs. Measures adopted Support provided included food kits, cooked meals for 605 families, medicines for 693 families, and palliative care services for 206. Health and safety supplies were distributed to six families. Income-generation support was extended to 156 families through various initiatives including Kudumbashree's Ujjivanam project, local bodies, and private partners. Housing assistance was given to 67 families lacking shelter and 50 families who needed both land and housing. Another 22 families were moved to rented homes. Additionally, 490 beneficiaries were helped to obtain key documents such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, and bank accounts. Educational support included free bus passes and study materials for 55 students. The project also took steps to rehabilitate and assist persons with mental health issues and those who were homeless or wandering.
New Indian Express
24-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Body of Ranjitha killed in Ahmedabad plane crash brought home
A public viewing is scheduled at Sri Vivekananda High School in Pullad from 10 am, allowing the local community to pay their respects. The cremation will take place in the compound of her family home at 4:30 pm. Minister V.N. Vasavan is expected to attend the funeral and offer condolences on behalf of the state government. Ranjitha was the youngest daughter of Gopakumaran Nair and Tulasi. A nurse by profession, she had been working in the United Kingdom and was preparing to return to Kerala to rejoin government service. She was among the 230 passengers aboard Air India Flight 171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on June 12.
The Hindu
03-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Student parliament for climate justice at Kottayam
Aimed at making their voices heard at COP30 , the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held in Brazil in November, a Student Parliament for Climate Justice will be held at CMS College, Kottayam, on June 6. The event will bring together student representatives from various schools run by the Church of South India (CSI) and they will share stories of climate crisis from 17 climate-vulnerable regions across the globe. The event will feature stories from Sundarbans, Tuvalu, Bangladesh, Madagascar, Dominica, the Amazon rainforest, California, Canada, Greece, Mozambique, Iraq, Mali, Kenya, Greenland, Alaska, Australia, and Kerala. Student ambassadors from the U.S., India and Bhutan too will speak. The parliament will culminate with the adoption of a resolution demanding a carbon-free global economy and decisive action. The event is jointly organised by the CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese's Department of Environmental Concerns and CMS College, Kottayam. Following the parliamentary session, a public meeting will be held. Bishop Malayil Sabu Koshy Cherian, Bishop of the CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese, will preside. Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan will inaugurate it. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, jurist K.T. Thomas and others will speak. Anju Sosan George, Principal of CMS College, will serve as official host of the event.
