Pineapple mission to be formed in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala cabinet on Wednesday decided to constitute a Pineapple Mission to encourage the cultivation of the fruit in the state.

The main objective of the mission, on the lines of the Coconut Development Board and Spices Board, would be to promote value added products from pineapple, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said during a cabinet briefing.

On other decisions, he said government has requested the Kerala Public Service Commission to extend the existing rank list.

"Normally the list expires after three years. Now the government has asked the PSC to extend the period by one and a half years or till a new list is published, whichever is earlier," he said.

The cabinet also decided to give postings to 2,667 disabled persons who worked on a temporary basis in government departments from August 16 1999 to December 31, 2003.

The Cabinet also gave its approval to hold the Global Conference on Local Self Government at Thiruvananthapuram later this year.