Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

New Act to monitor private trusts

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A new Act will be framed vesting powers with the State government to probe the functioning of private trusts in the State, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said.

Replying to questions in the Assembly on Tuesday, Mr. Balakrishnan said the Maharashtra and Rajasthan governments had already passed similar Acts to monitor the functioning of trusts. The model of the Acts passed by the two governments would be considered while framing the new Act. If the existing laws lack teeth to check harassment of women, the government would amend the goonda Act to incorporate stringent provisions to prevent such instances, he said.

There were complaints about the functioning of certain NGOs in the State. Such NGOs would be brought under the scanner and the Centre would be apprised of their functioning.

Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran said the Centre had not yet given assistance to the farmers hit by the recent summer rain. Paddy crop in 30,370 hectares was damaged in the summer rain. The total loss in agriculture sector amounted to Rs.363.39 crore.

Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said though the reports of the crop loss had been submitted to the Centre, the high-level committee for sanctioning relief had not met so far. There was a proposal to form an agriculture price stabilisation fund, Mr. Ratnakaran said.

Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan said the Kerala Recognition of Trade Union Bill, 2008, had been sent to the Centre for approval. Referendum in 15 public sector undertakings was held at the behest of the Labour Department. The Centre had sanctioned Rs.24 crore for modernisation of the police against the State’s demand for Rs.28 crore. So far, the government had got only Rs.4 crore, Mr. Balakrishnan said.

Electricity Minister A.K. Balan said the power charge arrears due to the Kerala State Electricity Board from low tension consumers in the State till March was Rs.664.72 crore and high tension and extra-high tension Rs.1,210.65 crore.

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