Information Kerala Mission to be divided into three departments

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.

Of 54 persons to be posted to research and development, 40 persons will come under software development. Those working on daily or consolidated wages would be retained.

Scales of pay will range from R. 8730 to Rs. 40640. Dearness allowance and house rent allowance would also be paid.

The working capital of the Mission will be raised from village panchayats, municipalities and corporation (0.25 per cent of Plan funds) and district and block panchayats (0.10 per cent of Plan funds). This would come to about Rs. 10 crore. Besides, it will get a Budget allocation of Rs. 10 crore. The Mission will also be able to raise about Rs. 2 crore by offering consultancy services.

Compensation package
The Cabinet also approved a Rs. 23.8 crore compensation package for people who lose their livelihood on account of the Vizhinjam Seaport project.

They include fishers using karamadi for fishing in the Kottappuram/Valiakadappum area, owners of defunct karamadis and others identified during inspection of location and documents as fishers, pensioners, conch and lobster workers and pensioners of Mulloor and Soorya Samudra beaches.

Persons, who were collecting conch shells from the project area without using catamarans, will get a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh on the basis of the calculation that their earnings were one sixth of those collecting the shells using catamarans. Seasonal collectors will also be given Rs. 2 lakh. Rs. 1 lakh will be given to persons who assisted in preparing catamarans and did sale of conch and lobsters.

The Cabinet permitted the Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited to pay compensation to those who lost their livelihood permanently. The money will be paid by cheque or bank transfer. Fishing equipment used by those getting compensation will be auctioned off.