EMS govt's Land Reforms Act made Kerala what it is today, says Pinarayi

Pinarayi Vijayan and other dignitaries during the inaugural ceremony

Thiruvananthapuram: Celebrations of the 60th year of Kerala's first Ministry, led by Communist veteran late E.M. Sankaran Namboodiripad, was inaugurated by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan here Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Vijayan said that the Land Reforms Act bought by the first Communist government had virtually paved the way for the present economic and social well being of people in the state.

The education and health sectors also made rapid progress due to progressive steps taken by that government, he added.

Scripting history, the Communist led government under E.M. Sankaran Namboodiripad, popularly known as EMS, came to power in Kerala on April 5, 1957.

It is also considered as the first Communist government to come to power through election in the world.

Seminars on various subjects, including center-state relations, decentralization and planning and coalition politics, photo exhibition, women's Parliament are some of the programs organized as part of the celebrations to be held from April 21 to 26.

Veteran communist leader K.R. Gouri, one of the ministers in the first Ministry, will also be honored on the occasion.

Governor justice (ret) P. Sathasivam would declare the celebrations closed on April 26.