THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state Cabinet on Tuesday decided to observe 2016 as the friendship year in view of the growing intolerance and divisive tendencies in the country.
At the Cabinet briefing, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said a series of programmes had been planned across the state in connection with the friendship year. The idea is to bring all sections of society together to strengthen the tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood in the state.
"Kerala has never approved of divisive tendencies in the society. People of the state have always lived in peace and harmony. Through these programmes being organised as part of the friendship year, Kerala will send out a message with one mind that there is no room for divisive forces," Chandy said.
A Cabinet committee comprising minsters K. C. Joseph, A. P. Anil Kumar, M. K. Muneer and P. K. Abdu Rabb will coordinate the activities in connection with the friendship year.
Departments of tourism, cultural affairs, NORKA and PRD will join hands. The nodal agency for the programmes would be PRD.
New scheme for disbursing welfare pensions: Rs 540 crore would be disbursed through cheques to be deposited in 14 lakh bank accounts.
The services of medical professionals including doctors, nurses, pharmacists and lab technicians who were appointed on a temporary basis have been extended till June 2016.
A sum of Rs 150 lakh has been allotted for the national waterway. Goods services will begin on the Kollam-Kottapuram national waterway soon.
Provisions will be made for setting up jagratha samithis to check atrocities against women and children.
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