The Hindu : Kerala News : Land for base camp at Nilackal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 26, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Land for base camp at Nilackal

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 25. The State Government will hand over 250 acres of forest land on lease to the State Farming Corporation at Nilackal to build a base camp for Sabarimala pilgrims, said the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy here today.

Briefing presspersons on Cabinet decisions, Mr. Chandy said the Cabinet had decided to put in place better facilities for pilgrims visiting the shrine.

The Chief Minister said the authorities had satisfactorily managed the pilgrimage this year. However, better facilities and regulations were needed next year.

Mr. Chandy recalled that the previous Government had decided to hand over 50 acres belonging to the Farming Corporation to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for development of facilities for pilgrims. Today's decision was to hand over the remaining 200 acres with the Corporation. The Board will engage the workers of the Corporation who would become jobless following the transfer of the land.

Free ration

The Chief Minister announced that another month's free ration would be given to the people affected by tsunami on the State's coastal areas. The Government was trying to limit assistance to the eligible. However, many ineligible persons were pressing the Government for benefits, he said.

The entire contributions to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund received for providing relief to the victims of the disaster will be used for the purpose itself.

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