News and Views

The government has suffered losses in selling sand from the State’s rivers without auction.

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on general and social sector for the year ended March 2015 notes that there was laxity on the part of Land Revenue Commissioner to enforce provisions of the Kerala Protection of River Banks and Regulation of Removal of Sand Act.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Cabinet on Thursday decided to trifurcate Information Kerala Mission into three departments—Research and Development, Operation and Maintenance and Human Resource.

The will also be divisions such as research and logistics, software development, testing and quality control, help desk and grievance cell.

Appointment to important posts will be done through deputation, direct recruitment and promotions. Staff will be categorised as professional, technical and non-technical for deployment.

President of India Pranab Mukherjee will visit Kerala from February 26 to 27, 2016.
On February 26, the President will inaugurate the 200th Anniversary of CMS College at Kottayam. On the same day, he will also inaugurate the valedictory function of celebrations of 155th Anniversary of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 at Kochi

A scramble for seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections in Kerala is on in the ruling United Democratic Front, and to a lesser degree in the Opposition Left Democratic Front. Indications are that the pitch will surpass the rivalry in the previous elections.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has reported non-levy or short levy of tax and interest amounting to Rs. 4500 crore during year ended March 2015.

In his report on the Revenue Sector submitted to the Assembly, the Comptroller and Auditor General noted that the Commercial Taxes Department had failed to bring majority of dealers under tax net by registering them under the value added tax system.