Superstitions becoming widespread in society, says Pinarayi
Superstitions stamped out years ago during the reformation movement are once again becoming widespread in society, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Saturday.
The Chief Minister was addressing professionals from the science and technology sector at Professional Connect 2025, a programme organised as part of the fourth anniversary of the government. He underscored the need to nurture scientific temperament and propagate scientific and technological knowhow for sustainable growth and development founded on social justice.
'We live in times when superstitions that were wiped out under the leadership of social reformers are returning and becoming widespread,' he said, adding that many national grants that supported research and higher education have now been either removed or reduced.
Digital science parks
Mr. Vijayan said the Kerala government has instituted the Kairali Research Prize and the Chief Minister's Postdoctoral Fellowship for promoting research in addition to starting centres of excellence in the higher education sector and translational labs in universities. Kerala is on the path of growth with digital science parks and AI hubs. The State is spending ₹600 crore on three digital science parks, he said.
Science and technology are not separate from the lives of humans, Mr. Vijayan said, reiterating his government's plans for creating a knowledge-based society.
K.P. Sudheer, Executive Vice President, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) and State Planning Board vice chairman V.K. Ramachandran and KSCSTE member secretary A. Sabu also spoke.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Nilambur byelection: Day of reckoning for UDF and LDF
Kozhikode: Counting of votes for the high-stakes Nilambur assembly bypoll will take place on Monday. The bypoll saw a keenly-contested race between UDF and LDF, with former Left-backed MLA and independent candidate PV Anvar adding complexity to the race. A UDF win would signal public discontent with the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF govt, while an LDF victory would strengthen the ruling front's push for a third term in power. The counting will begin at 8am on Monday at Marthoma Higher Secondary School in Chungathara. Officials will open the strongroom holding EVMs at 7.30am in the presence of candidates' agents. Counting will start with postal ballots at 8am, followed by EVM votes from 8.10am. There will be 14 tables for counting EVM votes, four for postal ballots and one for pre-counting electronically transmitted postal ballot system votes. Votes from 263 polling booths will be counted in 19 rounds, covering 14 booths per round. After all rounds, officials will count VVPAT slips from five randomly selected polling stations separately in the presence of Election Commission observers. A total of 86 officials will manage the counting, including 25 micro-observers, 24 counting supervisors, 30 counting assistants and seven assistant returning officers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ductless Air Conditioners Are Selling Like Crazy [See Why] Keep Cool Click Here Undo The third round of randomization for officials will take place at 5:30am on Monday. The entire counting process will be monitored using CCTV surveillance. A three-tier security system—comprising central forces, state police and local police—will deploy 900 personnel on duty. Election Commission observers and the returning officer will oversee the process. Following EC guidelines, arrangements have been made for candidates and their agents to monitor counting. EVM counting will start with UDF-ruled Vazhikkadavu panchayat, followed by Moothedam panchayat. If there is no clear lead in these initial rounds, it will likely indicate the tone for the final result. Otherwise, suspense will build as later booths—including Amarambalam, where the LDF expects a strong lead—are counted at the end. After Vazhikkadavu and Moothedam, counting will proceed with other panchayats like Edakkara, Pothukallu, Chungathara, Nilambur, Karulayi and Amarambalam. UDF expects its candidate Aryadan Shoukath to win by over 10,000 votes, while CPM's internal booth-level data estimates a narrow victory of 1,600 votes for its candidate M Swaraj. Nilambur byelection recorded a voter turnout of 75.87%. Of the 2,32,057 registered voters, 1,76,070 cast their votes, including 1,74,667 through EVMs and 1,403 postal ballots.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
Nilambur result crucial for LDF, UDF ahead of upcoming polls
The result of the Nilambur Assembly byelection on Monday will likely be more consequential for the competing political narratives of the ruling front and the Opposition in the crucial run-up to the 2025 local body polls and the Assembly elections in 2026 than for its arguably trifling impact on the Kerala legislature's configuration at the fag end of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government. With the counting scheduled to commence at 8 a.m., the outcome of the high-stakes bypoll can debatably puff up or puncture the ambitions of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in the critical ballot box battles that lie ahead. The byelection triggered by the resignation of LDF Independent P.V. Anvar forced the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] to defend an arguably tricky constituency by fielding a party candidate M. Swaraj for the first time since 2016. Higher stakes for UDF The stakes are perhaps higher for the UDF, which has been locked out of power for two successive terms, given that the bypoll is widely perceived as a test of voter opinion ahead of the local body and Assembly elections. The bypoll outcome might also prompt a stocktaking in the UDF concerning the allegedly radical Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami's controversial support for the Congress candidate Aryadan Shoukath. Bid to fragment votes Mr. Anvar, fighting an independent campaign, aspires to fragment Nilambur votes and projects his candidacy as an opportunity for voters to try a 'known option' beyond the LDF-UDF candidates. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), initially coy about fielding a candidate in Nilambur, had tapped Mohan George, a member of the electorally significant Christian settler-farmer community, as its standard bearer. The LDF and UDF claim that the electoral fight is mainly between them. However, both traditional alliances are reportedly apprehensive about the campaigns of the BJP and P.V. Anvar upsetting their duopoly in Nilambur via covert tactical voting in key panchayats. The LDF and UDF had mounted an expansive ground operation rarely seen in byelection campaigns to win Nilambur. Top leaders camped in the constituency for weeks while star campaigners, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP, and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, hit the hustings. The worsening human-wildlife conflict, cratering agrarian economy, 'election-eve' distribution of social welfare pensions, the ascendancy of identity politics, illicit poll alliances with communal forces for votes, 'demonising' Malappuram voters as economic offenders and Mr. Vijayan's style of governance dominated the bypoll rhetoric.
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
State government to amend rules related to various departments to spur investments
The State government is set to amend several rules related to various departments with an aim to spur more investments. The decision comes in the wake of the Invest Kerala Global Summit organised by the Industries department. A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to expedite further steps in this regard. As many as 31 rules and policies related to various departments are expected to be amended. The policies and rules related to the Departments of Local Self-Government, Revenue, Electricity, Environment, Labour, Agriculture, Higher Education, and General Policies and Rules will be updated or amended in such a way as to make them investment-friendly, according to a release issued on Sunday. Relaxations will be made to the norms regarding the width of entrance in the Kerala Building Rules 2019. It has also been decided to increase the maximum permissible area of buildings for industrial purposes in Category II Panchayats. Building permit The list of supporting documents required for applying for a building permit on leased land will be revised. The registered lease agreement will be considered as a document for building ownership. The guidelines for regularisation of constructions made under the Kerala MSME Facilitation Act, 2019 will be revised. Amendments have also been proposed in the guidelines for local self-government bodies to accept licenses and deemed licenses issued under the provisions of the Kerala Industrial Single Window Clearance Boards and the Industrial Township Area Development Act, 1999. The norms for mandatory parking facilities for resorts and hotels in the tourism and hospitality sector will be relaxed. For this, the norms for calculating the area of the building will be revised. Consideration will be given to granting permission for expansion by following the building construction rules applicable at the time of the establishment of the enterprise. Task force A task force is also being considered in the Local Self-Government department to give priority to the expressions of interest received at the Invest Kerala Global Summit. As many as 13 amendments to the rules related to the Local Self-Government department are being considered. A decision will be taken in consultation with the Finance department regarding the removal of the provision for payment of additional fees in the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2008. The Unique Thandaper Number system will be expedited for transparent and efficient land use. The land conversion applications related to the projects which came up at the Invest Kerala Global Summit will be expedited and considered on priority basis. The confusion in the order regarding the consideration of the Ministerial Committee regarding land ownership above 15 acres for industrial purposes will be resolved. A circular will be issued clarifying the powers of Agriculture Officers regarding change of land type. Training will also be provided to Agriculture Officers. Consideration will be given to revising the fees for permits of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board. The validity period of registration certificates under the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act will be increased. Streamline procedures It was decided to consider proposals to simplify land conversion procedures to facilitate investments, a proposal to streamline the procedures of the Forest and Wildlife department to issue various permits and certificates quickly and transparently, and a proposal to make technical education industry-oriented and strengthen skill development. The amendments are aimed at addressing the shortage of land for industrial use, simplifying the procedures for land acquisition and clearances and formulating rules to expedite clearances related to various departments. Ministers P. Rajeeve, M.B. Rajesh, K. Rajan, K. Krishnankutty, A.K. Saseendran, V. Sivankutty, P. Prasad, R. Bindu, Chief Secretary A. Jayatilak and department secretaries participated in the meeting.
