Kerala hikes pay for government lawyers, extends aid to Nipah patient

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has cleared a series of measures aimed at supporting government lawyers, a health worker battling long-term illness, and a sports facility in Thalassery.

As per a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, the remuneration for District Government Pleaders and Public Prosecutors will be increased from Rs 87,500 to Rs 1.10 lakh a month. Additional Government Pleaders and Additional Public Prosecutors will now receive Rs 95,000, up from Rs 75,000. Pleaders hired for state-related cases will see their monthly pay rise from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. These revisions will be applied retrospectively from January 1, 2022.

In a separate decision, the Cabinet sanctioned Rs 17 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to assist Titto Thomas, a health worker from Kozhikode who has remained unconscious for over a year after contracting Nipah encephalitis in 2023. He continues to undergo treatment at a private hospital in the district.

The Cabinet also approved leasing the V R Krishna Iyer Memorial Stadium in Thalassery to the local municipality for a 10-year period, subject to strict conditions. The facility will be reserved for sports activities, and any commercial use will require prior state approval.

A coordination panel, comprising the municipal chairman along with representatives from the sports and revenue departments, will oversee the stadium’s operations. The Sports Department will retain free access for official events, while other government bodies and organisations may rent it for sports purposes at reasonable charges.