The M.S. Swaminathan Commission, appointed by the Central government to study the distressed farm sector in Idukki district, has submitted its report to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, team leader S. Balaravi has said.

On the eve of its second anniversary, Kerala's Left government on Wednesday announced a loan waiver of Rs 25,000 for distressed farmers. The move is expected to benefit about 41,000 farmers in the northern Wayanad district, which has witnessed the largest number of farmer suicides in the state. Speaking to reporters here after the cabinet meet, chief minister V S Achuthanandan said Rs 50 crore would be set apart for this. He also announced the government's decision to provide free textbooks for children till Class VIII.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said here on Wednesday that the Left Democratic Front government would launch many new projects this month in connection with the second anniversary of his government. Briefing presspersons on Cabinet decisions, the Chief Minister said the proceedings to write off loans up to Rs.25,000 taken by 41,000 farmers in Wayanad would begin this month. All pupils up to eighth standard will get textbooks free from this year.

Five major steps taken by the State government for implementing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP) in the backward districts in the State has come in for praise at a national workshop in Mussourie.

The use of electricity, an integral part of our lives, is increasing by the day. But did you know that accidents involving it are also on the rise? That Kerala accounts for 10 per cent of such accidents taking place in the country? There are a number of such interesting pieces of information in a handbook brought out by the Electrical Inspectorate of the State government in connection with the observance of the first week of May as the Electrical Safety Week.

The Union government has decided to provide subsidy to all cooperative milk marketing institutions for switching over to natural vanilla as a flavoured ingredient in their various milk-based products. The commerce ministry is preparing a scheme for this and a notification will be issued shortly. The ministry has planned to provide the difference in prices between natural and synthetic vanilla as subsidy.

The onus is on the State government to effectively introduce measure to curb the price rice, Union Minister of State for Planning and Parliamentary Affairs V. Narayanasamy has said.