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Asserting that a new dam was the only viable solution to the Mullperiyar issue, Kerala Government today said it planned to locate the new structure at 1,300 feet down the existing one, built 112 years back.The proposed dam was estimated to cost Rs 216 crore, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said in written reply furnished in the state Assembly.

The Kerala Government has worked out a plan to develop IT parks in all districts in the state as part of its efforts to enhance its presence in the Information Technology sector.A state-sponsored company called Kerala State Information Technology Infrstructure Ltd (KSITF) had been formed for this and consultants Pricewaterhouse Cooper entrusted to work out the project details, Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan told the assembly on February 25, 2008 during question hour on behalf of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan.

As part of reforming functioning of police in tune with changing times, community policing system would be introduced in Kerala from March 2008 to help maintain effective law and order, State Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said on February 23, 2008. In the first phase, it was planned to introduce community policing in 14 centres, comprising 11 Municipalities and three Corporation limits.

The Centre has assured Kerala that it would restore the maximum quantity of the state's share of power from the Central grid, which has been recently slashed,
State Power minister Shri A K Balan said on February 20, 2008.
He told that an assurance to this effect had been given to him during his recent meeting with union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde at Delhi.

During the meeting, he requested the minister to take steps to speed up conversion of NTPC's thermal power plant at Kayamkulam, into an LPG based plant, Balan said.

The Kerala Cabinet on February 20, 2008 decided to handover the Cochin University of Science and Technology to the Centre for its upgradation as an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology.

The institution was being upgraded with the condition that the existing guidelines with regard to the 50 per cent State Government quota in admissions should be continued, Chief Minister Shri V S Achuthanandan told.

In a bid to prevent a repeat of question paper leaks, the Kerala Government on February 20, 2008 decided to deposit question papers of the school leaving examination (SSLC) to be held in March 2008 in the lockers of nationalised banks or State treasury offices.

As a precautionary step, it has been decided to keep the SSLC question papers in bank lockers or treasury offices, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told. He said school authorities had been instructed to ensure that the question papers were opened only on the day of the examination.

The marketing of coffee was fully regulated by the Coffee Board till 1992 and the entire coffee grown in the district had to be pooled to the Board. But in the Coffee Policy of 1995 - 96 , the Government exempted small scale growers possessing land less than 10 hectares from the obligation of pooling. Those growers with more than 10 hectares of coffee plantation were obliged to provide 60 percent of their produces to the Coffee Board.