5 key reforms; state-level process re-engineering: Kerala govt unveils governance overhaul

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has announced five major administrative reforms aimed at reducing delays in public projects, improving the management of government assets and minimising losses to the state exchequer. 

Chief Minister VD Satheesan announced the measures while briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The reforms, to be implemented under the General Administration Department, focus on asset management, project monitoring, institutional efficiency, legal reforms and improving the ease of doing business.

Digital platform to track assets and projects

A new Special Asset Management Platform will be launched to create a comprehensive digital database of government-owned assets through a dedicated portal.

The platform will catalogue land, buildings, heritage structures, roads, dams, bridges, vehicles and machinery owned by the government.

The UDF Cabinet also decided to expand the existing Plan Space 2.0 platform by integrating a GIS-based Project Register. All capital projects approved by government departments will be geo-tagged to improve monitoring.

The register will capture details including project location, implementing agencies, approving authorities, funding sources and the stage of construction. The government said the move is expected to improve project tracking and reduce implementation delays.

Institutions, laws and business processes under review

The government will prepare a comprehensive asset registry covering all 591 government institutions, on which around ₹19,000 crore is spent annually on salaries.

According to the government, several institutions established over the years continue to function even after fulfilling their original objectives. Their performance will be assessed, while organisations carrying out similar functions will be considered for merger to improve administrative efficiency.

The Cabinet also decided to review outdated, unnecessary and conflicting laws and amend them where required. The government said the legal reform process would be expedited.

As part of its Ease of Doing Business initiative, the state will modernise laws and regulations to simplify interactions between businesses and government departments.

The programme, described as a state-level process re-engineering initiative, will use digital technology to streamline service delivery and make administrative procedures more efficient.

The Chief Minister also said the government would hold consultations with all trade unions before taking any further decision on implementing the Centre's labour codes in Kerala. Discussions with all trade unions will be held before deciding the next course of action, he added.

Cabinet approves BrahMos project land and Keltron capital hike

Among other decisions, the Cabinet approved the transfer of the remaining 90 acres of land required for the BrahMos Aerospace Project.

It also cleared an increase in the authorised share capital of state-run Keltron from ₹35 crore to ₹60 crore.

The Cabinet further approved the appointment of G. Sasidharan as Additional Director General of Prosecution, Vigilance, and Dr K.K. Ramachandran as Executive Vice-President of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE).