‘Ente Keralam' expo at Kanakakkunnu from May 17
The 'Ente Keralam' exhibition-cum-sale in the capital district, organised in connection with the fourth anniversary celebrations of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, will be held on the Kanakakkunnu Palace premises from May 17 to 23.
Minister for General Education and Labour V. Sivankutty will inaugurate the fair at Nishagandhi auditorium at 6 p.m. on May 17. Minister for Food and Civil Supplies G.R. Anil will preside.
At a press conference attended by the two Ministers here on Wednesday, Mr. Sivankutty said entry to the fair, which would be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., would be free.
Exhibition stalls and sale stalls of government departments, food fete, and cultural programmes would be the highlights of the fair for which the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) has readied a 75,000 sq. ft. pavilion, 50,000 sq. ft. of which is air-conditioned.
In all, there are 250 stalls, 161 of which are service stalls and 89 commercial ones. The commercial stalls will have facility not only for government departments but also micro, small, and medium enterprises to sell their products. These include the Forest department's Vanashree products, handicrafts and handloom, coir products, eatables, honey, tea, pickle, Ayurveda and farm products.
Free services available at the fair include applications for new Aadhaar card, name and other changes to Aadhaar card, Aadhaar registration for children, ration card-related services, including name at employment exchange or renewing registration, and health check-ups.
Stalls featuring services provided by various departments and their functioning and the State's development history will be another attraction of the fair. A school market that will make available bags, books, stationery and other products needed for school at low rates will also be organised.
Food fete
A food fete by the Kudumbashree will lay out a spread of dishes, from morning breakfast to dinner. Vanasundari chicken, tapioca and fish, beef roast, tapioca biryani, 'sundari' puttu, pumpkin payasam, bamboo rice payasam, and dishes from Malabar will tantalise the taste buds of the public.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would inaugurate the valedictory of the government's anniversary programmes, which began in Kasaragod on April 21, at the Putharikandam grounds on May 23. Nearly one lakh people are expected to take part in the programme, Mr. Sivankutty said.
Minister G.R. Anil said beyond an exhibition of programmes the fairs would make available various services to the public.
The Chief Minister's meeting to review schemes in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam. and Pathanamthitta districts would be held at Jimmy George Stadium on May 23 morning. Mr. Vijayan would receive suggestions from prominent people from many walks of life on ongoing and new projects.
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