Thiruvananthapuram 07-09-2011: The cabinet today cleared the draft policy on land acquisition which calls for issuing development bonds to land owners for a price equivalent the price of the land. This enables the land owners to transfer the bonds at a higher price at a later point of time, the Chief Minister said  while briefing the cabinet decisions to the media. They will also have the right to return the bonds to the Government.  The cabinet also cleared draft housing policy today.

The cabinet has also decided to seek a central assistance of  Rs 1000 crore for the  repair of  roads damaged in the monsoon. The PWD has been given back the custody of 8517 kms of road which was earlier handed over to the District Panchayats. Rs 20.69 has been sanctioned  to take up the urgent repair work of  the national highways in the State.

Special group of Rapid Action Force will be formed to counter the attack from the wild elephants in the farms adjoining to forests.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests T M Manoharan will be the new chairman of the KSEB. The housing grant to SC and ST families has been increased by Rs 1 lakh. At the revised rate the SC families will get Rs 2 lakh each and for  the ST families the amount will be of Rs 2.5 lakh.

The government has decided to declare Jannuary 2  as a restricted holiday on account of  Mannam jayanti.