Seventeen Kerala Ministers Including The CM Announce Foreign Tour To Raise Funds For Post-Flood Rebuilding 

Almost the entire Kerala cabinet led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be visiting foreign countries to seek funds for rebuilding Kerala after unprecedented floods caused widespread devastation in the state, Mathrubhumi has reported.

Between 18 and 21 October, 17 members of Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet will visit countries with a high concentration of Malayali population. The ministers will be accompanied by the secretaries or senior officials of the concerned departments.

Accompanied by Principal secretary Dr K Elangovan,  Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will visit Abu Dhabi on 18 October, Dubai on the second day and Sharjah on the third day.

The outspoken Finance Minister Thomas Issac will visit New York, Boston and Chicago on October 20 and 21. KSFE managing director Purushothaman will be accompanying him.

Vijayan’s trusted lieutenant and Industrial minister E P Jayarajan will visit Kuwait on 20 October. He will be accompanied by secretary of industries Sanjay Kaul.

Health minister K K Shailaja, education minister C Raveendranath and forest minister K Raju are the three cabinet members who have been excluded from the foreign trips.

Raju received widespread condemnation when he decided to attend the eleventh Global Conference organised by the World Malayalee Council from 17 to 19 August despite the state reeling under floods.