Cabinet decisions


Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 03: The Cabinet today decided to distribute the revised salaries and allowances as per the recommendations of the Eleventh Pay Commission from April 1. The revised dearness allowance will be implemented with retrospective effect from July 01, 2019. The allowances recommended by the Commission will come into effect from March 1, 2021.

 Especially recommended scales by the Commission will be allowed only in the health sector. In other sectors, a detailed order on the scales recommended by the Pay Commission and other issues like the Career Advancement Scheme will be issued after scrutiny by a Secretary-level Committee.

The Additional Chief Secretary of Finance, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department and the Principal Secretary of the Department of Public Administration has been directed to examine these issues and submit a report within a month. The Additional Chief Secretary for Finance will be the convenor for the committee.

A decision on pension renewal will be taken after considering the detailed report of the Finance Department.


Cabinet approves ordinance to allow building construction based on self-certification

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 03: The Cabinet Meeting held today has decided to recommend to the Governor to issue an ordinance to amend the Panchayat-Municipal rules to expedite the issuance of building permits.

The law is being amended so that the construction of a building can commence based on the certificate of the land/building owner and the empanelled licensee authorised to prepare and submit the plan (Architect, engineer, building designer, supervisor or town planner are the empanelled licensees). Upon receipt of the plan, the Secretary of the local body (Local Self Government) must issue a certificate within five working days. The draft bill includes provisions that would consider this document as building permit with permission to start construction of the building.

The proposed law provides for fines and revocation of the license of the licensee, if the information in the self-certification provided by the landowner or licensee is found to be incorrect at a later stage. The fines will be imposed at the rate of Rs 2 lakhs for buildings with an area of up to 100 sq m, Rs 4 lakhs up to 200 sq m and Rs 6 lakhs for up to 300 sq m.

The building owner and the empanelled licensee must jointly certify that the building plan and site plan comply with existing laws, regulations and other statutory provisions.

The proposed amendment will apply to houses less than 7 m in height, up to 2 storeys high and less than 300 sq m in area. It will also be applicable to hostels, orphanages, dormitories, old age homes, seminaries and religious buildings with a height of less than 7 m and a floor area of less than 200 sq m. Construction of commercial buildings less than 7 m in height, up to 2 storeys and less than 100 sq. m in area, and also the construction of non-hazardous industrial buildings can be started on the basis of self-certification.

 The Cabinet also decided to amend the Panchayat/Town building rules requiring the Local Government Secretary to take a decision within 15 days after receiving the application for the construction of the building as against the present 30 days.


Extension of PSC rank list among major Cabinet decisions

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 03: The Cabinet meeting held today made the following decisions:

PSC rank lists to be extended: The Cabinet decided to recommend to PSC to extend the tenure of PSC rank lists for six months. The validity of all rank lists ending between February 3, 2021, and August 2, 2021, was recommended to be extended till August 3, 2021.

 Ordinance to establish Welfare Fund for Employment Guarantee Workers: The Cabinet decided to recommend to the Governor to issue an ordinance to set up a welfare fund for the welfare of the employees under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) Scheme and the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (AUEGS) implemented by the State Government in urban areas. The Cabinet also approved the draft bill in this regard.

OBC reservation for Nadar Christians: Accepting the recommendation submitted by the Kerala State Commission for Backward Classes, the Cabinet decided to give OBC reservation to the Nadar communities among Christians community except for SIUC. This will be done without affecting the existing reservation for Hindus and SIUC-Christians belonging to the Nadar community.

 Redeployment of protected teachers, more rice for non-priority cards, land acquisition for Coffee Park at Wayanad, setting up of an arbitration court and the re-promulgation issue of 25 ordinances were some of the other decisions.