300 houses for Wayanad landslide victims to be handed over in Feb: CM Vijayan
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday that the state government aims to complete about 300 houses with related facilities and hand them over in February as the first phase of rehabilitation for Wayanad landslide disaster victims.
"The target is to complete around 300 houses along with associated facilities and hand them over to beneficiaries as the first phase in February," the CM said while addressing a press conference here.
He said the houses are part of a large township being constructed on the Elston Estate land near the Kalpetta bypass for families affected by the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides in Wayanad.
The project is progressing at a rapid pace, with a strong focus on safety, quality and long-term sustainability, Vijayan said.
He said the township will consist of 410 houses and all essential facilities required for a dignified life.
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"This is not just about providing a roof over people's heads. It is about rebuilding lives that were shattered by the disaster," he said.
According to him, the township will include an underground electricity network, drinking water supply with a large-capacity tank, internal roads, a public health centre, anganwadi, community hall, market, playgrounds and waste management facilities.
Each house will also have a solar power plant and its own drinking water storage tank.
He said construction work is being carried out with strict quality control measures. Materials such as cement, sand and steel are being tested in on-site laboratories and also verified by independent third-party agencies.
"We are ensuring quality at every stage. Work moves forward only after inspections," he said, adding that contractors will provide five years of protection against construction defects.
Around 1,600 workers are engaged in the project, working round the clock. Several key works, including roofing of many houses, road formation and drinking water tank construction, have already been completed, the chief minister said.
Referring to the government's approach to disaster rehabilitation, Vijayan said the project follows the "Build Back Better" principle.
"Our responsibility is to ensure that every disaster-affected family gets a safer and better living space than before," he said.
Vijayan said that the LIFE Mission and similar housing initiatives reflect the state's commitment to treating housing as a basic right.
"A total of 476,076 houses have been completed and handed over through the LIFE Mission. That many families have moved into secure homes. This February, the number will reach five lakh. Construction of 124,471 houses is currently at various stages," he added.
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Rajnath Singh chairs IGoM meet, urges constant vigil over West Asia crisis
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday emphasised the need for round-the-clock monitoring of the West Asia conflict and called for a calibrated response to deal with any eventuality to ensure that national interests remain protected.
Singh made the comments while chairing a high-level meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) set-up to monitor the situation in West Asia.
The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Power Minister Manohar Lal, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister J P Nadda, Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi and Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.
In view of the "uncertain situation", the defence minister underlined the importance of round-the-clock monitoring of the situation and the need to respond in a calibrated manner to deal with any eventuality, an official readout said.
He stressed on the need to leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people of the country face the minimum effect of the conflict, it said.
It was the second meeting of the IGoM after it was set up last month.
The IGoM was apprised of the measures being taken by the government in the wake of the ongoing West Asia conflict, Singh said on social media.
"We also deliberated upon the next steps to be taken by the government to mitigate any adverse impact arising due to the ongoing conflict," he said.
The defence ministry said in the readout said, "In the meeting, the seven empowered groups of secretaries briefed the IGoM on the steps being taken to tackle the situation."
"The IGoM was apprised about measures undertaken by the Ministry of Finance to address concerns arising due to global trade disruptions and provide relief and support to the industry, especially manufacturing, and bolster investor confidence," it said.
It listed measures including notification issued on Wednesday on full customs duty exemption on 40 critical petrochemical products till June 30.
The ministry also mentioned announcement of a special one-time relief measure for eligible units in SEZs to sell manufactured goods in Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) at concessional customs duty rates to be effective from April 1 to March 31.
It also noted another notification issued by the Department of Revenue clarifying that the provisions of GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) will not be invoked in respect of investments made prior to April 1, 2017.
"These measures will reduce cost pressures on downstream sectors including textiles, packaging and pharmaceuticals, facilitate supply stability in the country and provide requisite clarity for investors contemplating investments in India," the readout said.
Defence Minister Singh appreciated the government's decision to impose a 25 per cent cap on the monthly increase in aviation turbine fuel prices for domestic operations, with effect from April 1.
This step will help protect the people from sudden increase in fares, he said.
The government has accorded highest priority to domestic LPG supply, with refinery production enhanced to fully meet consumption requirements, according to the readout.
"The IGoM was informed that there have been no reports of dry-out at LPG distributorships, and delivery of domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders continues as per the normal schedule. The temporary supply concerns arose due to instances of hoarding and black marketing, which triggered panic buying in certain areas," it said.
The ministers were informed that strict enforcement action is being undertaken, with raids being carried out across multiple states and Union territories to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG, the ministry said in the readout.
Action has also been taken against some LPG distributors who engaged in malpractices, it said.
"To support migrant labour and low-consumption households, the government is ensuring adequate availability of 5 kg free trade LPG cylinders, and since March 23, over 4.3 lakh such cylinders have been sold. Special focus is being given to states where demand is higher," it said.
The IGoM was apprised that industrial requirements dependent on commercial LPG are being met, with over 80 per cent of pre-crisis supply levels being maintained to ensure continuity of operations.
"Special meetings have been held with ministries and stakeholders of different industries to understand their demand and meet their needs. Oil PSUs are ensuring continued supply of Auto LPG across the country," the readout noted.
"However, some supply constraints are being faced by private operators due to their procurement challenges, which is why lines are being observed at PSU auto LPG pumps. Wherever the autos are dual feed and can use petrol, they are being encouraged to use petrol," it said.
