Proprietor model for K-FONE
The cabinet has decided to approve the report submitted by the committee appointed with IT Secretary as Convenor, towards examining the ways to monetize the K-FONE project.

The K-FONE project will opt for the ‘proprietor’ model, by retaining the management responsibilities with K-FONE Limited and by outsourcing the rest of the activities.

K-FONE, through the system integrator Bharat Electrical Limited (BEL) shall ensure the operations and maintenance up to Optical Fibre Network Terminal (ONT) for providing internet connection to government offices. The KSITIL shall ensure that agencies to provide LAN and WiFi services in government offices are empanelled.

Instead of asking all government offices to remit bill payment for availing internet and intranet services, the government will pay to K-FONE in one lot or through quarterly instalments.

The system integrator Bharat Electricals Limited shall handle the operation and maintenance up to Optical Fibre Network Terminal (ONT) of 30000 government offices.

Expertise of a Managed Service Provider (MSP) is required to extend services to consumers beyond that. Hence, a Managed Service Provider (MSP) will be selected through tender process to help in the day-to-day technical and commercial activities.

The possibilities shall be explored to extend the tenure of tender of the project to give free internet services to the economically and socially backward families, to another five years in accordance with the clauses of the tender.

The current technical committee will be strengthened by inducting one more member from the Department of Telecommunications towards extending advice to K-FONE on technical aspects including technological upgradation and security.

It was also decided that the operations shall be oriented towards accomplishing the objectives of the K-FONE project.

Government Pleader
It was decided to appoint K B Sunilkumar as District Government Pleader, Thrissur

Retrospective effect
It was decided to give retrospective effect from 01/04/2017 onwards for the allowances as per pay revision, sanctioned to the officer-category employees of the Travancore Cochin Chemicals Limited.

It was decided to sanction Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) scale as per 7th pay revision, to the employees of five science categories in C-DIT, subject to the relevant norms regarding this. The revised pay scale will have effect from 1th January 2016 onwards.

Extension of tenure
It was decided to extend the tenure of Kerala State Statistical Commission for one year – from 14/03/2023 to 13/03/2024.

Post
It was decided to bring out notification to approve the Kerala State Allied & Health Care Council norms 2023. Nine posts will be created for the functioning of the Council.
It was decided to create one post of HSST Junior and three posts of HSST for commerce batch in the Devi Vilasam Higher Secondary School, Thalavoor, Kollam.

Appointment

It was decided to appoint B Levin as the Chief Executive Officer of Kerala Space Park. The appointment will be for a period of three years.

Approval for receiving financial assistance
Approval was given to accept $150 million additional financial assistance from World Bank as part of ‘Resilient Kerala Programme for Results’ loan scheme, under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative (RKI).

The Additional Chief Secretary&CEO, RKI will be authorised to take the further actions including conduct of mutual discussions regarding the loan and signing of the agreement on behalf of the government.

Approval was given to the draft Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) (Amendment) Bill 2023 prepared to amend the Kerala Private Forests (Vesting and Assignment) Bill 1971. The bill will be presented in the current session of Legislative Assembly.