CM reviews implementation of J.B.Koshy Commission recommendations

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday reviewed the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the J.B. Koshy Commission, which was appointed to study the educational, economic and welfare issues of Christian minorities in the state. Seventeen departments have fully implemented the recommendations, while action has been taken on 220 recommendations and sub-recommendations.

The respective departments have begun the process to submit seven recommendations for the consideration of the cabinet. The State government has considered 284 recommendations and 45 sub-recommendations submitted by the commission. As per the CM’s assessment, action has been completed quickly on issues that can be considered under the existing laws. He issued directions to the officials concerned to immediately take decisions on issues that need to be discussed with other departments and implement the commission report. The recommendations that cannot be implemented also have to be identified while implementing the rest without any delay, he said.

The J.B.Koshy Commission had submitted its report to the State government in May 2023. The government had in 2024 appointed a three-member committee led by the Chief Secretary to review the commission’s recommendations.

However, the delay in publishing the report had led to controversies, with Christian bodies including the Latin Catholic Church and the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) demanding the government to make it public and implement the recommendations at the earliest. The Latin Church even said last year that the government’s stance on the report and other issues concerning the community would influence the Church’s political position in the just concluded local body elections.