KERALA finance minister Thomas Isaac presented the budget for 2017-18 in the Assembly on March 5. The budget was a bold attempt to save the state’s economy and to provide maximum relief to the common people facing a crisis created by the central government’s demonetisation move and neo-liberal economic policies. The budget attracted a wide applause from every section of society. The opposition parties have not raised any objection to the budget provisions.The second budget of the LDF government led by Pinarayi Vijayan draws a road map for comprehensive changes in infrastructure.

MEDICAL and sales representatives throughout the country took part in an all-India strike on February 3, at the call of FMRAI, demanding reduction of prices of medicines and medical devices and revival of public sector pharma units.

HISTORIES of the Communist movement in Kerala have been written by several scholars, as well as by the leading comrades of movement, such as EMS Namboodiripad and NE Balaram. Histories of various class and mass movements in Kerala, such as trade union movement, kisan movement, students movement, teachers movement and the NGOs are also available. Autobiographies and biographies of several leading comrades, throwing light on various aspects of the history of the Party have also been published.

TelanganaRelay hunger strike launched by the farmers and other people affected under the proposed Mallannasagar reservoir at Vemulaghat village in Toguta Mandal of Siddipet district reached its 250th day on the February 9. This determined struggle of the people affected under the Mallannasagar reservoir, which is a part of larger Kaleswaram project with a storage capacity of 50 tmc ft water going on near the farm house of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has been supported by the CPI(M), several other political parties and mass organisations.

Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) held its 10th all India conference in Kochi, Kerala from February 1-5,  2017 resolving to build widest possible unity of progressive youth in the country and fight for employment, secularism and democracy. 680 delegates representing one crore 15 lakh members assembled for the conference. Six delegates representing fraternal foreign youth organisations also participated.The conference was preceded by three jathas. One jatha carrying the torch to be lit at the conference venue started from martyrs’ memorial at Koothuparamba in Kannur district.