News and Views

Finance Minister T. M. Thomas Isaac announced an economic revival package of Rs. 12000 crore in his revised Budget for the current year presented to the Assembly on Friday, with view to face the current and emerging challenges to growth.
The investment package will be used solely for capital expenditure in building of major roads, bridges, buildings and parks.  Of this, Rs. 2500 crore is to be expended this financial year itself. An additional Rs. 8000 will be required by the end of the year for land acquisition and thus about Rs. 20000 crore will have to be mobilised.

The financial position of the State will take three years to stabilise, Finance Minister T. M. Thomas Isaac said here on Friday.
Addressing the media immediately after presentation of the revised Budget in the Assembly, the Finance Minister expressed confidence that revenues could be increased through modernisation of accounting procedures and strict tax collection initiatives.

The government proposes to achieve a growth rate of 22 per cent in tax revenue this financial year, Finance Minister T. M. Thomas told the Assembly on Friday.

Presenting the revised Budget for 2016-17, the Finance Minister announced a nine fold strategy to increase revenues.

More than a third of the members of the 13^th Legislative Assembly (excluding ministers) have not fully used the reimbursement facility available to them for purchase of books, information obtained under RTI Act shows.

As per rule brought in 2013, members are eligible to seek reimbursement of up to Rs. 15000 a year. So, the members of the last Assembly was eligible for a total of Rs. 60000 in four years.

Kochi: The Central range of Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB) plans to organise a drive for clearance of files in government offices with cooperation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs).