Thiruvananthapuram: Putting an end to the speculations over the Governor's stand regarding the customary policy address to the Assembly, Kerala Governor Arif Muhammed Khan read out the entire speech, not leaving even a sentence or word, marking the beginning of the 8th meeting of the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Governor listed out one after another the achievements of the government. He said that Kerala achieved commendable financial growth under the present government, quoting an RBI report that stated Kerala is growing financially.
He said Kerala leads in all aspects of sustainable development and added that it is the leader in the Sustainable Development Index as stated in the Niti Ayog report. "The government is trying hard to get rid of extreme poverty. More than 65,000 families are living in extreme poverty, that is 0.77 per cent of the Kerala population. This government is committed to raising these families out of extreme poverty," Khan said in his address.
Also read: Kerala governor relents, signs policy address
He said the government is also carrying out great works at the Gram Panchayats. Kerala is the third largest provider of employment in the country. The government is trying to eliminate unemployment in the state and aims to provide 20 lakh jobs in five years, stated the Governor.
He further stated that Kerala is progressing in agriculture, industry, and education. It continues to be an investor-friendly state. The agriculture segment would be modernised and efforts for that will be made in the 2023 budget. The government will ensure the social security of the fishermen and will ensure insurance coverage for all fishermen.
He said higher education will be strengthened and NAC accreditation could be brought into more educational institutions. Kerala is aiming to become a knowledge economy, Khan added.
He also said Kerala was the first state in the country to link 100 per cent ration cards with Aadhar. It also has provided water, electricity, and internet to all Scheduled Tribe colonies. Earlier, Arif Mohammed Khan was given a warm welcome at the Assembly by Chief Minister, Speaker, and parliamentary affairs Minister K Radhakrishnan.
