Thiruvananthapuram: The state government on Wednesday decided to form a screening committee to identify personalities to be recommended for the Padma Awards of 2026 and finalise the list.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the panel comprising a ministerial sub-committee will have Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan as its convenor, a CMO statement said.

Ministers K Rajan, K Krishnankutty, A K Saseendran, K B Ganesh Kumar, Roshi Augustin and Ramachandran Kadannappally would be the members of the proposed panel and the Chief Secretary would be its secretary, it said.

Among other decisions, the Cabinet also adopted a draft policy framework regarding the removal of sand via dredging from 11 water bodies by the agencies contracted by the National Highway Authority to develop highways in the state.

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The statement added that the policy framework would provide limited rights to use the dredged soil for the development and construction of national highways.

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