Title - Land for one-lakh landless families by August: Chandy

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said the government is moving forward with its preparations to ensure three cents of land each for one lakh landless families by August 15.Delivering his Republic Day message at the Central Stadium here on Saturday, Mr. Chandy said Kerala would ideally become ‘God’s own Country’ only when there were no more landless and homeless people in the State.Stating that the government would continue with strict action on those fuelling artificial price rises for essential goods, Mr. Chandy said price rise, drought and garbage disposal were the main challenges faced by the State now. Kerala, which was in dire needs of basic infrastructure development, was on the growth path with the obstacles that delayed the Kochi Metro Rail project and the SmartCity project removed. Projects for the Kannur airport and the Vizhinjam container terminal were moving into the next phase and the State would soon have the rare honour of having five airports while works on the inland waterway and the coastal waterway, suggested by the State’s development mentor Sam Pitroda, were progressing.Stating that atrocities against women and children were on the rise in public places, work places and even in their own homes, Mr. Chandy said safety of women was not just the responsibility of women’s organisations or the government, but that of society as well. There were several laws existing for protection of women and the government was ready to bring in stronger laws and systems. However, these would remain ineffective till society accepted the fact that men and women were equal and started respecting women who came onto the public sphere. There should also be an effort to identify where the Kerala society, which had such a rich culture of respecting women, went wrong, he said.

Exuding confidence in the young generation, the Chief Minister said the Start-up project announced to help young entrepreneurs with basic infrastructure had elicited an encouraging response.

Earlier, Mr. Chandy unfurled the national flag and inspected the parade before taking the salute. The Republic Day parade this year comprised armed units from the Air Force, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Railway Protection Force, Special Armed Police and the India Reserve Battalion’s Thunderbolt Commandos. The Thiruvananthapuram City Police mounted unit, Fire and Rescue Services, NCC, Student Police Cadets, Bharath Scouts and Guides and several other contingents and bands were part of the parade.