Keralam Cabinet recommends Vigilance to probe KIIFB’s Kannur land acquisition deal

Chief Minister VD Satheesan Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT

The Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday decided to recommend a Vigilance probe into the alleged lapses in land acquisition in Kannur district funded through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB).

The decision follows the finding of an expert committee headed by former bureaucrat Sudha Pillai that the KIIFB land acquisition was rigged. The panel, as part of its review of KIIFB’s operations following a government decision, questioned KIIFB’s decision to acquire land in Kannur and Palakkad districts with 1,000 acres in Kannur alone.

The committee found that Kannur alone accounted for 52.9% of the total approved expenditure on land acquisition and 74.7% of acquisition for industrial development under KIIFB.

According to Chief Minister VD Satheesan’s office, Vigilance will conduct investigations with the help of finance and tax departments. Mr. Satheesan presented the report to the Sudha Pillai Committee at the assembly on 15 October.

Nod to the hike

The Cabinet has given its nod to a bill to increase the salaries and benefits of ministers and MLAs.

In another important decision, the government has decided to restructure the ratio of men to women in the appointment of police constables from 9:1 to 7:3. This is to ensure a greater representation of women in the state police.

The cabinet decided that Athulya, the elder daughter of Sudhakaran (50), who was one of the victims in the Nenmara, Palakkad double-murder case, will be given a government job. The government will also provide financial assistance for the education of his younger daughter Akhila. Sudhakaran and his 75-year-old mother Lakshmi were murdered in their house by accused Chenthamara.

The cabinet also approved a special housing scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) families and fishermen families. Under it, the financial assistance provided for housing projects to SCs and fishermen families will be increased from ₹ 4 to ₹ 6,000 and that of ST families from ₹ 6 to ₹ 8,000.

Vidarsa K. Vinod, the Indian shooter who won two silver medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, will be given a government post.

Published – 28 Oct 2026 20:50 IST