News and Views

Thiruvananthapuram: The interim order of Green Tribunal to withdraw diesel vehicles older than ten years from six cities of the State will, in effect, take away 6100 transport vehicles and 40000 non transport vehicles from the roads of Kerala,  Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran informed the Assembly on Tuesday.

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy demanded in the Assembly on Tuesday that the support price for paddy should be increased.

Participating in the general discussion on the revised Budget for the current year, Mr. Chandy said that increasing the rubber subsidy for farmers with holdings of up to two hectares should also be considered.

Health Minister K. K. Shylaja told the Assembly on Tuesday that half of 2.38 lakh people at risk of contracting diphtheria in three districts of the State had been vaccinated against the diseases.

Though there was initially a shortage of vaccine, sufficient supply has since been ensured, the Minister said in response to a notice for moving an adjournment motion given by M. Ummer (Muslim League).

Ms. Shylaja said that the two companies producing vaccines against diphtheria were not producing large quantities of vaccine in normal times. This had now been stepped up and 4.5 lakh doses were being made available. Half of this quantity had already been supplied.

Thiruvananthapuram: The opening day of the three-day general discussion on the revised Budget for the current year on Monday was a tame affair.

Opposition members stuck to the stand that the Budget proposals were utopian while the ruling front members reiterated that the Budget was development and welfare oriented. There was hardly any deeper analysis of the budget or the white paper on State finances.

Thiruvananthapuram: Education Minister C. Raveendranath informed the Assembly on Monday that steps have been taken to ensure that textbooks reached students by June 1 from next academic year.

He was responding to a question from James Mathew (CPIM).

The text books, the Minister said, will be in three parts to be distributed in three intervals before each of the three terms from next academic year.