Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, on Wednesday approved several important development initiatives, focusing on hill region development, reforms in the Kuttanad area, and industrial growth.

Giving special attention to the State’s ecologically sensitive high-range regions, the Cabinet decided to establish a Hill Area Development Empowered Committee to strengthen planning and implementation in hilly areas.

According to an official release, the Chief Minister will chair the committee, with the Agriculture and Forest Ministers serving as Vice-Chairpersons and the Chief Secretary as Convener.

One of the main goals of the committee is to enforce a “zero-casualty” policy in cases of human-wildlife conflict by using modern technology and restoring natural habitats. Farmers affected by wildlife-related crop damage will be provided insurance coverage.

The panel will also work towards shifting the Western Ghats economy from commodity-based activities to value-added production, improving the marketing of farm produce and spices, and ensuring people-friendly implementation of the Wildlife Protection Act.

While ensuring environmental safeguards, the committee will facilitate infrastructure projects such as hill highways, ropeways, and airstrips.

It will also finalise the boundaries of environmentally sensitive zones and accelerate the issuance of land titles in non-forest areas. The committee will meet once every three months.

The Cabinet also approved major restructuring of the Kuttanad Development Coordination Council as part of the second phase of the Kuttanad Package.

A Central Project Processing Unit for Kuttanad Regional Development (CPPU-KRD) will be set up under the State Planning Board to coordinate projects. The Chief Secretary will serve as the Convener of the Coordination Council.

District-level Implementation and Technical Committees will be formed in Alappuzha, Kottayam, and Pathanamthitta. These will be headed by District Panchayat Presidents, with District Collectors acting as Conveners.

These committees will evaluate project proposals and forward them to the CPPU-KRD. District authorities will be authorised to approve projects worth up to ₹5 crore, while inter-district projects will be prepared in consultation with District Planning Committees.

A dedicated Kuttanad Cell will also be created in the Planning and Economic Affairs Department at the Secretariat level to improve coordination among departments.

To boost industrial development, the Cabinet approved a ₹741-crore expansion project for Kerala Paper Products Limited (KPPL) at Velloor in Kottayam district under the Industries Department.

The project aims to enhance production capacity and diversify output. KPPL was formed after the State government took over the Velloor HNL unit, which was closed by the Centre in 2019.

The State will contribute ₹175 crore as equity, KSIDC will invest ₹25 crore, and the remaining ₹541 crore will be raised through a consortium of banks.

With increasing demand from e-commerce, retail, and food distribution sectors, the project is expected to reduce dependence on paper imports from other states. Once completed, KPPL is projected to achieve a turnover of ₹1,500 crore within 24 months.