Kerala becomes third open defecation free state

Former Andhra Pradesh Minister Gudivada Amarnath on Thursday said that the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the land policy of the state government, alleging that large extents of valuable public land are being allotted to a few real estate companies at very low prices.

"Most of the hotels are closed. Even in the few that are open, we are not getting proper food. This situation is affecting families as well. Therefore, we request the Central Government to intervene in this matter and take strong action to ensure the supply of LPG gas," Muraleedharan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The attached properties are in the form of land parcels situated in Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

In a post on X, Stalin stated that he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the relevant Union Ministers regarding the issue. He added that the state government held a consultation meeting yesterday under the leadership of R Sakkarapani to discuss strategies for addressing the gas shortage.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday distributed 40 electric cars to Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across the state in Gandhinagar to facilitate practical training in electric vehicle technology for trainees in the Motor Mechanic trade. During the event, the Chief Minister also inaugurated 50 Dhanvantari Arogya Rath and six Mobile Medical Vans to provide doorstep primary healthcare services to construction workers and labourers.

Vijayan said there is no anti-incumbency in the state, adding that the people hold a positive view of the government and its policies and believe only the current administration can take Kerala forward.

According to sources, the meeting involved extensive discussions on around 160 Assembly constituencies across the state. During the deliberations, the party is learnt to have finalised candidates for nearly 145 seats, out of 294 assembly seats in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, marking significant progress in the selection process.

Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu felicitated Anil Marwah, a dedicated enthusiast of the Delhi Metro, for his personal milestone of riding the first train on the opening day of every newly inaugurated metro corridor in the Delhi Metro network.

Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said that the upcoming assembly elections in Kerala are expected to set a benchmark for democratic practices, expressing confidence in the preparedness of the state's election machinery and cooperation from political parties.

As per the schedule, the draft proposal for the delimitation of wards will be published on March 12. Residents of the concerned municipal areas can submit objections or suggestions till March 19.