TELK-NTPC joint venture approved

Thiruvananthapuram: The State Cabinet has approved the proposed joint venture between the State-owned Transformers and Electricals Kerala Ltd (TELK) and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).

The State Government will retain controlling interest with 51 per cent stake in the joint venture. The tie-up was aimed at modernising and enhancing the capacity of TELK, the Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, told newspersons after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The Cabinet also cleared the development of Azhikkal and Beypore ports with private participation.

SCIENCE INSTITUTE


The Chief Minister said that the Union Ministry for Human Resources Development had assured the Government that an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research would be established in the State this year itself. The assurance was given when he met the Human Resources Minister, Mr Arjun Singh, in Delhi recently.

Also, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the proposed Indian Institute Space Technology here.

BUILDING RULES


He said that the Building Rules would be made applicable to all the panchayats in the State in view of uncontrolled building activities reported from various panchayats. At present, 200 panchayats are covered under the rules.

The Ordinance declaring Munnar as a Special Zone will be finalised in the next Cabinet meeting. The Ordinance is designed to restrict construction activities in the hill station considering the delicate ecological sensitivities of the area.

ECO DRIVE


The Cabinet approved a major environmental drive involving school children to plant 25 lakh saplings across the State. The programme will see students from fifth to ninth standards from 5,095 schools planting saplings in school compounds, homesteads and public places on the World Environment Day on June 5.

The Cabinet also decided to recommend to the Governor for commencing Assembly session from June 19. The session will last till the end of July.