Will seek to uplift poorest of poor, focus on higher ed, IT: Vijayan

The prime importance would be to see the uplift of the poorest of the poor and the basic document that would be the guiding force would be the poll manifesto, he said, soon after chairing the first cabinet meeting after being sworn-in. 

Vijayan said till now the policies of the Left when in office were diluted when a new government assumed office in every election. 

"This time we are back and we will build on our first five year term and give prime importance to ensure that the weaker sections are integrated into our development scheme. A survey will be done soon to identify this section so that proper programmes can be formulated for them. Only when that happens, can we call it total development and we will work for that," he said. 

"Another area where lot of significance would be given would be for a revamp of the higher education sector and it would be made one which will be able to find employment for our youths. IT sector is one which is expected to propel the job market and we plan to double the output from the IT sector," he added. 

Vijayan said that their manifesto has 50 segments and 900 promises and "we will be following that as we did in our first term when we were able to achieve 580 of the 600 promises that were made then". 

He said that a Smart Kitchen Programme to ease the burden of women will be taken up besides ensuring a package for domestic helps. 

The new ministry, for the first time, includes three women Ministers -- R. Bindhu and Veena George from the CPI-M and J.Chinchurani from the CPI.