Steps on to fill SC/ST post vacancies in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURM: Kerala Government has initiated steps to fill up posts reserved for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes lying vacant in different departments through a special recruitment, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan informed the state Assembly today.

Replying to a submission, he said 537 posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 390 for Scheduled Caste were vacant in different departments.

Steps were also being taken to ensure that reservation guidelines for SC/ST were strictly adhered to while making appointments, he added.

Housing Subsidy: Local Administration Minister Paloli Muhammedkutty said the housing subsidy given to poor people by the localbodies had been increased from this financial year.

The subsidy amount of general category have been increased from Rs.31,000 to Rs.50,000. In the case of Scheduled Caste, it had been hiked from Rs.50,000 to Rs.75,000 and for Scheduled Tribes from Rs,70,000 to Rs. one lakh, he said.

The subsidy was increased in view of the rise in the prices of building materials, he added.