Thiruvananthapuram, March 14 The Kerala government has decided to acquire 230 acres of land, at a cost of approximately Rs 810 crore, for development activities related to the Vizhinjam International seaport.
The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday, according to a statement issued by his office.
The land will be acquired in the Kottukal, Maranallur, and Amaravila areas, under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act), it said.
It also stated that the cabinet has approved the utilization of Rs 283.68 crore from the Plan Scheme Treasury Saving Bank (PSTSB) account of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) for the acquisition of the land.
The remaining amount will be taken from the currently approved NABARD loan, the cabinet decided, according to the statement.
The cabinet has also permitted VISL to carry out all activities related to port-led industrialization on the 230 acres of land to be acquired, the statement said.
Besides that, the cabinet also decided to formulate a policy for the safety and rehabilitation of street children in the state, it said.
The decision was taken in light of an order issued by the Supreme Court in 2022 regarding the protection of street children.
The cabinet meeting approved a comprehensive outline of matters, including providing identity documents to ensure the safety, protection, and health of street children, the statement said.