
₹20,000 crore COVID package, no taxes in Kerala Budget
The Hindu
₹1,000-crore allotted to provide free vaccination in the proposals presented in the Assembly
Giving thrust to ensure ‘health and food for all’ and avoiding taxation, a ₹20,000-crore package to tide over the crisis induced by the second wave of COVID-19, , ₹5,300-crore project for protecting the shoreline and upgrade of infrastructure, and ₹2,600-crore economy rejuvenation loan scheme, are the key features of the maiden Budget of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government. Presenting the ‘Revised budget for 2021-2022” in the Assembly on Friday, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said ₹2,800 crore would be provided for meeting health emergencies, ₹8,900 crore for providing money for those rendered jobless, and ₹8,300 crore for various loans and interest from the second COVD-19 package.
The municipal bus stand auditorium in Malappuram was packed. But nobody quite knew what to expect. After all, a new event was making its debut at the State School Arts Festival. The moment V.G. Harikrishnan started his rendition of Pyar bhare do sharmile nain..., everyone was convinced that Ghazal was here to stay. The student from GVHSS, Atholi (Kozhikode), was applauded loudly for his rendering of the timeless ghazal sung originally by Mehdi Hassan.

For the last few weeks, several wards in Madurai city have been getting piped drinking water through a new drinking water scheme. The sweetness of the generously supplied water has led to loss of business to several suppliers of canned drinking water in the city. But, not many know that the water supplied to the houses in Madurai is directly drawn from Lower Dam of Mullaperiyar Dam in Idukki district of Kerala.











