The Hindu Business Line : Kerala Govt opposes plan for contributory pension

Thiruvananthapuram March 20 The Kerala Government has expressed to the Centre its unwillingness to introduce contributory pension scheme for the employees of the State Government.

The Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, said in reply to questions in the State Assembly on Tuesday that the State Government was also opposed to parking of pension funds in the stock market.

He said there was no plan to raise the pension of freedom fighters. The Government was giving a pension of Rs 3,000 to 7,888 freedom fighters in the State and another 336 applications were awaiting clearance.

In reply to another question, the Chief Minister said that around 100 acres of land was required for developing the third phase of the Technopark and 507 acres for establishing the proposed Technocity in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Government had already acquired 77.804 hectares for the proposed Kannur airport. It would resume acquisition of more land after getting the Centre's clearance for the airport, the Chief Minister said.

The State Human Rights Commission had registered 3,453 cases till March 14 this year, he said and added that as many as 1,510 cases had been resolved.

The Minister for Civil Supplies and Animal Husbandry, Mr C. Divakaran, informed the House that the Government was in the process of preparing a draft Bill for setting up a veterinary university at Pookode.

The Government had constituted an expert committee to look into the feasibility of setting up of the university and it had submitted its report in April last year. The Veterinary Secretary had since been appointed as the special officer to coordinate the activities.

The Minister said that a `breeding policy' would be released within a fortnight. Also, the functioning of milk co-operatives in the State would be streamlined and expanded, he added.

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