The State government will most likely need to introduce a contributory pension scheme for new entrants joining service.
Kerala was among the three states that had not opted for the scheme, the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, told the State Assembly.
PENSION BILL
But it would need to review its stance without upsetting the existing scheme. This is because service pension bills are set to exceed employee salary sooner or later.
Pension payments brought about a three-fold rise in State’s liabilities between 2001-02 and 2010-11. During 2011-12, it amounted to Rs 8,669.30 crore, Mr Chandy said.
In any case, the government has an open mind on the issue and would strive to evolve a consensus.
NATURAL GAS
From December onwards, nine major industrial units in Kochi would start getting natural gas through the GAIL pipeline, the Chief Minister said.
Among these are the Ambalamugal and Udyogamandal units of FACT, the Brahmapuram power plant, Reliance Energy and five other units in the public and private sectors.
Their aggregate demand would account for no more than 11 per cent of capacity at the LNG terminal coming up fast in Kochi, the Chief Minister said.
COMENSATION FORMULA
He also announced that the issues relating to blockade of pipe-laying work around the Naval Armament Depot in Kochi have been sorted out.
GAIL has also requested the State government to suggest a formula for compensating those who are forced to surrender land for the pipeline work.
Meanwhile, the labour minister, Mr Shibu Baby John, told the House that registration of migrant labour would become compulsory from January next year.
OTHER SECTORS
The minister said that the construction sector had already agreed to the proposal of the government. Other sectors too need to be brought into this fold.
The industrial relations committee was pouring through the recommendations of the Balaraman committee recommendation on the working conditions of nurses.
The committee is expected to chart out a plan for implementation of the recommendations, the minister added.