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1. Run to feed the hungry. You can’t call yourself a Sacramentan until you have participated in at least one Run To Feed the Hungry. This Thanksgiving Day tradition attracts some 25,000-plus people who come out to run or walk 3.1 or 6.2 miles in support of the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. The race starts near Sacramento State’s J Street entrance and winds through East Sac—and midtown for the 10Kers—and ends just east of Elvas Avenue and H Street, with locals cheering you on along the way.2. Visit the zoos. Who knew we had two zoos in the Sacramento area, but we do! The Sacramento Zoo, located at Land Park Drive and 16th Avenue in Sacramento, and the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, located at 403 Stafford St. in Folsom. Both offer educational activities and fun events—including overnighters with the animals—but each is unique in its own right. Bottom line: Make a plan to visit both! Sacramento Zoo: (916) 808-5888; Folsom Zoo:(916) 351-3527;3. Explore the old towns.Riverfront restaurants, bars, museums, theaters, kitschy shops and hotels dot the landscape of Old Sacramento these days, but a lot of history has happened on them thar streets. Check out the website—there’s always something going on. Folsom, Roseville, Fair Oaks and Elk Grove all have “old towns,” too. Wander through them all and get a little taste of history.4. Watch the Kings. We nearly lost the NBA team to Anaheim a few years back. All the more reason to cheer on our local royalty. So put on some purple and head out to Power Balance Pavilion. You’ll be in good company. King’s fans have a reputation for being the league’s most vocal.www.kings.com5. Tour the Capitol. It’s architecturally stunning, rich with history and free to the public. The California State Capitol Museum is open daily, except for major holidays. Note: The museum and the Capitol are one and the same, so as you are walking the halls, you are right in the heart of California’s working seat of government. The Capitol is located on 10th Street between L and N streets, downtown Sacramento. (916) 324-0333; www.capitolmuseum.ca.gov6. Work out on the “bike” trail. The Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, better known as the American River Bike Trail, is the crowning jewel of Sacramento—at least for outdoor enthusiasts. On any given day, but particularly weekends, you’ll find cyclists, runners and walkers of all ages, sizes and abilities somewhere along its 32 miles. During the week, bike commuters take to the trail, which starts at Discovery Park in Old Sacramento and ends at Beals Point at the Folsom Lake State Recreation Area in the city of Folsom.7. Go down to the rivers.Sacramento has not one but two rivers surrounding it: the Sacramento and the American rivers. On a (warm) day, you’re likely to see boaters, water skiers, kayakers, fishermen and fisherwomen, and others out enjoying the waters.8. Browse the Crocker Art Museum. The museum has been around since 1885 but underwent a major expansion—unveiled Oct. 10, 2010, its 125th anniversary—which more than tripled its size. In addition to housing world-class art, the museum also hosts lectures, films, concerts and more. 216 O St., Sacramento; (916) 808-7000;www.crockerartmuseum.org9. Hit some golf balls. With our mild weather, golfers can enjoy hitting balls just about year-round. Want to practice your swing? The driving range at Haggin Oaks is open practically 24/7 hours May through September. For a list of area golf courses—and links to their websites—click here.10. Splish-splash at a water park. Picture it: A scorching 100-degree day, but you don’t mind because you are slippin’ and a slidin’ down the Dragon’s Den tube slide at Raging Waters (www.ragingwaters.com) or The Vortex at Roseville Golfland SunSplash (www.golfland.com/roseville). Both parks have wave pools and more kick-back “current” pools as well as other attractions.11. Ice skate at our version of Rockefeller Plaza.OK, we might not have the East Coast’s colder winter climate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ice skate outdoors in the cooler months. The Westfield Downtown Plaza Ice Rink opens the first Friday in November at St. Rose of Lima Park and stays open through Martin Luther King Jr. Day so you can skate to your heart’s content throughout the holidays. www.downtownsac.org. If you’re itching to go ice-skating in, say, July (not a bad idea!), Skatetown Roseville welcomes you to skate, learn to skate, enjoy theme nights and more. www.skatetown-roseville.com12. Amble up to Apple Hill. Only about 45 minutes from downtown Sacramento, Apple Hill is a fun, quick day trip. With some 50 ranches to visit, wineries, a microbrewery, arts and crafts vendors, fun runs, apple delicacies and more, Apple Hill is a must-do for fall. The place is hopping from Labor Day Weekend through Christmas Eve. Not sure where to start? Check outwww.applehill.com. A tried-and-true favorite: High Hill Ranch, where you can shop for apples (and various incarnations of all things apple), peruse the crafts, stop in the fudge shop and indulge in a sweet treat—though sometimes deciding what to go for could take a day itself.13. Wine taste at the otherwine countries. Closer and less crowded than Napa, nearby El Dorado and Amador counties—and the Lodi region—grow award-winning wines and offer wonderful wine-tasting opportunities. Pack a picnic and go for the day, or stay at a romantic wine country B&B. Getting married and love wine? This is the place! For more info, log on to www.eldoradowines.org,www.amadorwine.com and www.lodiwine.com.14. Experience the area’s cultural diversity. Attend the annual Festival de la Familia at Cal Expo in April, a celebration of nearly two dozen Latin cultures, and enjoy a day filled with music, dance, food and more. The annual Pacific Rim Street Fest in Old Sacramento happens in May, with dance performances, music, cultural presentations, and crafts and foods representing more than 15 Asian and Pacific Island cultures. Everybody’s Italian at the annual Festa Italiana, put on by the Italian Cultural Society every August. Attendees can play bocce ball, hear Italian music, dance, shop the Italian Marketplace and, of course, mangia Italian food. And you might just want to turn Japanese after attending the annual Japanese Food & Cultural Bazaar, held in August at the Buddhist Church of Sacramento. View Japanese exhibits and demonstrations such as flower arranging (Ikebana), classical dancing (Odori), a tea ceremony, Taiko drum concerts and (need we mention?) feast on plenty of Japanese food.15. Cheer on the Sacramento River Cats. Spend a late spring/summer day or evening watching the Triple A affiliate of the Oakland A’s play at gorgeous Raley Field in West Sacramento. The team has won numerous Pacific Coast League championships since coming to Sacramento in 2000. But baseball aside, with entertainment throughout the game, various “theme” nights and a lovable mascot named Dinger, you can’t go wrong with a day at this ballpark.16. Ride the “Screamer” at Scandia Family Fun Center—and try not to scream. Seriously, don’t scream. You will be asked to leave. Screaming is banned on the ride—which spans 165 feet and swings thrill seekers around up to 65 miles per hour—because it’s disruptive to nearby neighbors. 5070 Hillsdale Blvd., off Interstate 80 near Madison Avenue , Sacramento; (916) 331-5757;www.scandiasports.com17. Tour a mansion or two—and while you’re at it, a fort.The Leland Stanford Museum, theGovernor’s Mansion and Sutter’s Fort offer a wealth of history about the area. To whet your appetite: The Leland Stanford Mansion, the former home of the eighth governor of California (Leland Stanford), was built in 1856, was home to three governors in the 1860s, and later became the Stanford Home for Children. The Governor’s Mansion, built in 1877, housed 13 governors. (Current Gov. Brown never lived there but visited when Dad Edmund G. held the office.) Built in 1843, Sutter’s Fort, originally called “New Helvetia” (New Switzerland), has served as a trading post, a rehabilitation point for Donner Party survivors and a refugee camp for people displaced by the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco.18. Go for a walk. From historical building tours to public art tours to neighborhood tours to cemetery tours, there are organized walking tours aplenty to get you intimately familiar with our fine city.19. Go down under. You’ll never think of history the same way after taking an Old Sacramento Underground Tour. Get a glimpse into what life was like some 150 years ago while going below historic buildings and exploring excavated foundations, enclosed pathways and old artifacts while your tour guide recounts stories of days gone by.20. Hit the bars. Sacramento’s nightlife has exploded in recent years, with brewpubs, wine bars and nightclubs peppering the landscape, especially downtown and in midtown.BarWest, deVere’s Irish Pub, Streets of London Pub, Firestone Public House,Track 7 Brewing Co. , 58 Degrees and Holding Co., Faces, Parlaré Euro Lounge, The Park Ultra Lounge, Social, District 30, MIX Downtown and Rail Bridge Cellars—and many, many more—the social scene offers plenty to do after hours in our fair city.21. See a show at an historic theater. Head to theTower Theatre (2508 Land Park Drive)—built in 1938—for an arthouse flick. Check out the Crest Theatre (1013 K St.)—built in 1946—for movies, concerts and other special events. Visit the Guild Theater (2828 35th St.)—built in 1915—for the same. Though modernized, each theater retains its historic charm.22. Tap your toes at the Sacramento Music Festival.Held every Memorial Day weekend, the festival—formerly known as the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee—changed its name in 2012 to reflect its wide range of music: swing, blues, zydeco, rockabilly, bluegrass, Latin music and, of course, jazz. Whether you’re into the music or the people-watching, this four-day event is the quintessential way to kick off a Sacramento summer. (916) 372-5277;www.sacjazz.com23. Do Dovewood Court during December. You don’t have to celebrate Christmas to enjoy the holiday spirit displayed at this Orangevale cul-de-sac each holiday season. Every house on the court—and we mean everyhouse—is decked out in all things Christmas. Walk the court, drive the court, it’s all good in this ’hood. All the neighbors ask is that you bring nonperishable food for area food banks. www.dovewoodcourt.com/index.html24. Go for fun at the California State Fair. Carnival rides, games, animals, exhibits, concerts and fried food—what more could you want? The fair comes to town each July and is a summertime must-do. (916) 263-3247;www.bigfun.org. Local fairs: the Sacramento County Fair, held in May, www.sacfair.com; the Placer County Fair, held in June, www.placercountyfair.org; the Amador County Fair, held in July,www.amadorcountyfair.com; and the Nevada County Fair, held in August, www.nevadacountyfair.com25. Walk the crooked mile at Fairytale Town. Walk the Crooked Mile at Fairytale Town, a low-tech fhildren's play park in William Land Park where fairy tales and nursery rhymes come to life. (916) 808-5233; www.fairytaletown.org. Afterward, head over to Funderland Amusement Park, located across the street, where the rides are all little-kid friendly (916) 456-0115; www.funderlandpark.com26. Pick produce at a farmers market. Take advantage of living in our agriculturally rich region by enjoying farm-to-you fresh produce at area farmers markets. Depending on when you go—many are open year-round—you’ll find tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, zucchini, sweet Bronx grapes, spinach, lettuce, herbs, winter squash, persimmons, pomegranates, mandarins, sunchokes . . . the list goes on and on. To find a market near you, go towww.cafarmersmarkets.com or www.california-grown.com.27. Immerse yourself in the vibrant social scene at Second Saturday. These art gallery open-houses, held throughout the region, draw crowds, especially during warm-weather months. In midtown, start at the corner of 18th and J streets, near several galleries, shops and restaurants. Another option: Fair Oaks Village in Fair Oaks, where you are just as likely to run into neighborhood chickens as you are people. Other monthly art walks in the region: Winters’ First Saturday Art Walk, Davis’ ArtAbout Art Walk (the second Friday of the month) and Placer Valley Third Saturday Art Walk, which encompasses galleries in Roseville as well as High Hand Gallery in Loomis.28. Meander down to the Delta. Though the closest town is only about 15 minutes from downtown Sacramento, the sleepy communities that make up the Delta region—Freeport, Locke, Walnut Grove, Isleton, Ryde, Rio Vista—feel a lifetime away. Wander through historic Locke, the only town in the United States built for and by Chinese immigrants. Taste wine at any (or all) of the nine wineries at the Old Sugar Mill (www.oldsugarmill.com) in Clarksburg. Have brunch at the historic Ryde Hotel (www.rydehotel.com) in Ryde. For more information, call the Delta Chamber at (916) 777-4041 or log on to http://www.californiadelta.org/.29. Stroll the Carolee Shields White Flower Garden ("Moon Garden"). Ah, we can feel the serenity now just thinking of this tranquil garden located in the UC Davis Arboretum. Picture it: a sultry summer night, your honey by your side, the two of you taking in the fragrant scents of Chilean jasmine, mock orange and myrtle as you walk amid this garden, best illuminated by the full moon. Go at dusk. This place is a treasure. UC Davis campus,(530) 752-4880; www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu. Other walk-worthy gardens in town: Jensen Botanical Garden, 8520 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael; (916) 485-5322. World Peace Rose Garden, State Capitol Park, between 10th and 15th streets and L and N streets, Sacramento; (916) 381-5433. McKinley Park Rose Garden, H Street near 33rd Street, East Sacramento.30. Catch a thrill on the water.Whether you are looking for a float trip suitable for the whole family or an adrenaline-filled-glad-I’m-in-the-water-because-I-might-pee-my-pants thrilling trip, there’s a portion of the American River (as well as other, nearby rivers) for every type of river rafter. There are numerous rafting companies ready to accompany you down the river. For local float trips, try: River Rat Raft & Bike, (916) 966-6777; www.river-rat.comand American River Raft Rentals, (888) 338-7238;www.raftrentals.com.31. Dine by the water. Sit outside at one of the many restaurants along the Sacramento River. You can dine at a different restaurant every day of the week. A few options:• Alamar Restaurant & Marina, 5999 Garden Highway, Sacramento; (916) 922-0200;www.alamarmarina.com• Chevys Fresh Mex, 1369 Garden Highway, Sacramento;(916) 649-0390; www.chevys.com• Crawdad’s River Cantina, 1375 Garden Highway, Sacramento; (916) 929-2268;www.crawdadsrivercantina.com• Joe’s Crab Shack, 1210 Front St., Old Sacramento; (916) 553-4249; www.joescrabshack.com• Rio City Cafe, 1110 Front St., Old Sacramento; (916) 442-8226; www.riocitycafe.com• Scott’s Seafood on the River, 4350 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 379-5959; www.scottsseafood.net• The Virgin Sturgeon, 1577 Garden Highway, Sacramento;(916) 921-269432. Board the Delta King. No, you won’t sail anywhere. This ship is permanently docked in Old Sacramento. However, you can dine at the Pilothouse restaurant, take in a murder mystery dinner show at Suspects, spend the night in one of the ship’s staterooms or (especially nice on a warm summer night) enjoy a relaxing drink in the outside lounge.www.deltaking.com33. Patronize a local mom & pop shop. No offense to big box stores and chain restaurants. We love them! But we also fully support showing the love to the mom & pops that keep this city alive and vibrant. You’ll find them everywhere, so we suggest asking locals in the neighborhood you’re in for some great recommendations. Here are a few picks: When in the Greenhaven/Pocket area, stop by Pet Haven (352 Florin Road, Sacramento;916-421-7387; www.pethaveninc.net) to pick up food, toys and perhaps some pet fish. In Land Park, check out Optimum Health (3220 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento; 916-443-6795; www.optimumhealthonpurpose.com) where owner Nancy Yilk and staff will direct you to a supplement to aid what ails you (and tell ya when seeing a doc is the thing to do) and, in the Arden Arcade area, cruise into the Dimple Vinyl Store (a small store located to the side of the Dimple Records building), where helpful staff will assist you in finding that LP (or 45) you’ve been looking for (2433 Arden Way, Sacramento; 916-239-3760;www.dimple.com).34. Hit the drive-in. Our weather—especially during the summer—is perfect for a night at the drive-in. Pack some lawn chairs, some blankets (for when the famous Delta breeze kicks in) and some snacks and head to the West Wind Sacramento 6 Drive-In (9161 Oates Drive, Sacramento; 916-363-6572; www.westwinddrivein.com). But be sure to buy a tub of popcorn or an ice cream novelty if for no other reason than to check out the retro snack bar and restrooms. By the way, admission is $7 for adults, $1 for children 5 to 11 and free for children younger than 5. What a deal!35. Explore Effie Yeaw Nature Center. Located within the American River Parkway, the Effie Yeaw Nature Center houses exhibits, information, live animals and a book, and gift store. Outside, three self-guided trails allow you to explore the area. Check the website for tours and programs taking place at the center. (916) 489-4918;www.sacnaturecenter.net36. Pick some berries. Patrick’s Mountain Grown Berry Farm allows visitors to pick berries straight from the vine during the summer. While paying for your pickin’s in the small store, be sure to taste-test some homemade jam. We’re sure you’ll be buying a jar or two to take home.(530) 647-2833; www.patricksmtngrown.com37. Go on campus—without the stress of being a student. Nearly 100 years old, UC Davis’ Picnic Day is a Davis community favorite packed with entertainment, activities, exhibits and more. In addition, world-renowned performers grace the stages at UC Davis’ Mondavi Center and Folsom Lake College’s Three Stages. And don’t bypass student-performed theater, music and art shows at our two universities and five JCs: Sacramento State (916-278-4323, www.csus.edu), Cosumnes River College (916-691-7344; www.crc.losrios.edu), Sacramento City College (916-558-2111; www.scc.losrios.edu), American River College (916-484-8011; www.arc.losrios.edu), Sierra College (916-624-3333; www.sierracollege.edu) and the aforementioned UC Davis (530-752-1011; ucdavis.edu) and Folsom Lake College (916-608-6500;www.flc.losrios.edu)38. Behold the Sacramento Ballet. Whether you attend the annual production of The Nutcracker, the more casual Beer and Ballet fundraiser or one of the company’s other productions, a day or night spent at a Sacramento Ballet performance will have you dreaming of pirouettes long after. (916) 552-5800; www.sacballet.org39. Spend an evening (or an afternoon) at the theater. Our area is rich with wonderful local theaters offering productions for every age and interest. To name just a very few: in Sacramento, Sacramento Theatre Company (916-443-6722; www.sactheatre.org), Buck Busfield’s (brother of Tim) B Street Theatre (916-443-5300; www.bstreettheatre.org) and the always-entertaining Big Idea Theatre (916-960-3036;www.bigideatheatre.com). Also, visit Placerville’s darling Imagination Theater (530-642-0404; www.imagination-theater.org) and Folsom’s intimate Sutter Street Theatre (916-353-1001; www.sutterstreettheatre.com)40. Compete in the “World’s Oldest” and only nonswim triathlon: Eppie’s Great Race. Ever say to yourself, “Man, I’d do a triathlon if only I could kayak instead of swim.” Step right up to the Eppie’s Great Race, my friend. The race—which takes place every July—consists of a 5.82-mile run, a 12.5-mile bike ride and a 6.35-mile kayak. You can take on all three legs yourself or form a team. Founded by restaurateur/entrepreneur Eppie Johnson, the race raises funds for Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreation Services. (916) 480-0270;www.eppiesgreatrace.org41. Love a parade. Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. at the March for the Dream “Marade” (march and parade) in January (www.mlk365.org), gay pride at the Pride Parade, which kicks off the Sacramento Pride Festival, in June (www.sacramentopride.org), veterans at the Veterans Day Parade in November (www.cityofsacramento.org) and the holiday season at the Christmas Parade in Placerville in December (www.placerville-downtown.org). And if that’s not enough parade, there are numerous Fourth of July parades to choose from on our nation’s most patriotic holiday.42. Museum hop. Learn about California history at The California Museum (916-653-7524;www.californiamuseum.org) and about all things science and space at the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center (916-575-3942; www.thediscovery.org). Railroad buffs will want to check out the California State Railroad Museum—train rides are available on weekends April–September (916-445-6645; www.csrmf.org). Car enthusiasts will want to cruise into the California Automobile Museum (916-442-6802;http://calautomuseum.org)43. Attend an outdoor concert. There are many to choose from during the dog days of summer: Pops in the Park in East Sacramento, Friday Night Concerts in the Park in downtown Sacramento, Live on the Boulevard in El Dorado Hills or the summer concert series taking place in both Roseville and Folsom.44. Go back in time at two annual festivals. Watch exquisitely costumed dancers waltz (and polka) to a choreographed storyline, all set to the music by the family of Johann Strauss at the Strauss Festival of Elk Grove in July (www.straussfestival.com). Fans of the Bard won’t want to miss the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival in William Land Park, which takes place in June and July (www.sacramentoshakespeare.net).45. Find your way to a fruit festival. Foodies (or should we specify fruit-loving foodies?) will want to check out the BerryFest (www.feedmestrawberries.com), which takes place in Roseville Mother’s Day Weekend, the Courtland Pear Fair (www.pearfair.org), which takes place the last Sunday in July in the quaint Delta town of Courtland and the Mandarin Festival (www.mandarinfestival.com), which takes place the weekend before Thanksgiving in Auburn.46. Catch the Causeway Classic. This annual football game between Sacramento State and UC Davis is a fall tradition around these parts. The two schools—separated by the 3.2 mile Yolo Causeway (hence the name)—have been battling it out each year for more than 50 years. It doesn’t matter which team you’re rooting for, if you like football and you like a good college rivalry, you’re sure to have a good time.47. Look up to the trees. Did you know that Sacramento has been referred to as the “City of Trees”? And with good reason: From the palm trees on the perimeter of Capitol Park to the river birch on the banks of McKinley Park pond to the eucalyptus trees of the University Arboretum at Sacramento State and the verdant archways over midtown’s streets, our trees shade us from summer sun and show us their colors come fall. Explore for yourself: The Sacramento Tree Foundation has maps of popular parks and the trees that inhabit them. Go towww.sactree.com/treetours to download your copy.48. Go the distance or cheer on others at the annual California International Marathon. The 26.2-mile run from Folsom to the state Capitol, held the first Sunday in December, brings athletes from all around the world. Participating in the marathon makes you intimately familiar with every nook and cranny of Fair Oaks Boulevard—you cover nearly the entire stretch of road. Feel the rush of running through the (normally) traffic-heavy intersection of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Howe Avenue. And get chills up and down your spine as you cruise down L Street toward the finish line, the pulse of the crowd providing you with momentum.www.runcim.org49. Pedal around town on a bike. It saves you money on gas, it makes it easier to find parking, it’s good for the environment, you get some exercise and you get to take in the sights. Many businesses—especially in the downtown and midtown area—offer bike racks and the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (www.sacbike.org) provides free bicycle valet parking at some events.50. Eat a local tomato.Seriously! We’re not called “Sacratomato” for nothin’!Source: Sacramento Magazine

A2A;Kerala’s tradition of anti-incumbency has arguably been the result of poor performance in office by a series of governments hobbled by the state’s all-pervasive and dysfunctional politics. This time, however, the outgoing UDF government led by Oommen Chandy is campaigning on a remarkable record of achievement. No single five-year government in Kerala’s history has achieved so much in a single term. Source: UDF’s Impressive Record May Drive its Comeback in Kerala: TharoorKochi MetroKochi Metro is an under-construction metro system for the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. The first phase is being set up at an estimated cost of₹5181 crore (US$770 million)Vizhinjam International Sea PortVizhinjam International Seaport is a proposed port by the Arabian Sea at Thiruvananthapuram in India. The total project expenditure is pegged at ₹ 6595 crores over three phases and is proposed to follow the landlord port model with a view to catering to passenger, container and other clean cargo.Kannur International AirportKannur International Airport (IATA: -, ICAO: VOKN) (Malayalam: കണ്ണൂർ അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര വിമാനത്താവളം) is an upcoming International Airport under construction at Mattanur in Kannur District, 25 kilometers from the citiesKannur and Thalassery, in the state of Kerala, India. It is being built on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model by the Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL).Once completed it will be the fourth and largest international airport in Kerala after Calicut, Cochin and Trivandrum making it the only state in India to have four international airports. Kannur International Airport will be the second greenfield airport to be set up in Kerala. The project is spread over 2,000 acres (810 ha).Proposed Bullet Train ServiceThe first phase of study regarding the Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur high-speed rail corridor project has been completed. The study conducted by DMRC says...Read more at: TVM-Kannur high-speed rail: 430 km in 145 minutesJana Samparka programmeUnfazed by the grim political challenges awaiting the Congress-led UDF in the Lok Sabha polls, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has been visiting several places the state with his 'Mass Contact Programme' by directly engaging with people, mostly the less privileged, and pulling crowds.The second phase of the unique outreach campaign, which won the UN award for public service in July, has already seen Mr Chandy meeting hundreds of people in four districts and the exercise is to be completed by the year-end covering the remaining 10 districts. In the three editions of Chief Minister's Mass Contact Programme, a total of 7.89 lakh petitions were resolved, out of a total of 12.5 lakh. In 2011, out of the 5.45 lakh petitions, 2.97 lakh were resolved; in 2013, out of the 3.21 lakh petitions, 3.20 lakh were resolved and in 2015, out of the 3.83 lakh petitions, 1.72 lakh were resolved. The programme received the 2013 UNPS award.CM's Distress Relief FundTill December 31, 2015, Rs 540 crore has been disbursed through the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund and Rs 6.27 crore disbursed to people outside Kerala. It was just Rs 120.24 crore that was disbursed during the period 2006-11.Karunya lotteryRaised Rs 1,200 crore and enabled the government to provide treatment to 23 lakh patients, including free care for cancer patients, a first in India; subsidised medicines for the less well off; and proper supply of medicines to government hospitals and dispensaries. Dozens of welfare schemes abound in other areas, including 35 kilos of free rice to those living below the poverty line.Up to Rs 2 lakh is given as treatment assistance. The income from Karunya Plus was also made part of this fund. The returns from the sale of lotteries in Kerala in 2010-11 were Rs 557 crore, which touched Rs 5445 crore in 2014-15. The commission of lottery sellers has been raised to 26%.Amballoor Electronic ParkAmballoor is located about 25 km from Ernakulam city. It is located along the Ernakulam - Thalayolaparambu main road. The site for the proposed project is a marshy area full of weeds and coconut palms. Only 10 families reside in this area.First of Its Kind in StateElectronic Park will be the first of its kind facility in the state. The park is being envisaged as an electronic hub to promote the manufacture and assembly of hardware, as well as the supporting infrastructure.Trivandrum AND Kozhikode Light MetroIn 12 June 2013, the State Cabinet gave clearance for an agreement to be signed between KMCL and DMRC. The DMRC will receive 3.25% of the ₹55.81 billion (₹ 35.90 billion for Thiruvananthapuram and ₹ 19.91 billion for Kozhikode) in general consultant fees. The agreement was signed on 19 June 2013. DMRC appointed interim consultant of the Rs 6728 crore Light Metro rail projects at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram. DPR submitted to Union government for approval. Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation formed for the implementation of the project.Economic growth higher than national averageBased on current price, Kerala's economic growth has been 17% compared to the national growth rate of 17.5%. In 2011-12, Kerala registered 17% (India 15%), in 2012-13 it was 13% (India 13.3%), 2013-14 it was 13.4% (India 11.5%) and in 2014-15, Kerala registered a growth rate of 12.3% compared to the national growth rate of 10.50%.PSC AppointmentsAppointments to 1,39,192 persons through PSC till October 31, 2015, which is an all time record. After a gap of five years, 1182 differently-abled were given jobs. 1950 differently-abled persons, who were in service for 179 days from 1999 to 2003 by creating 2677 supernumerary posts.16 Medical CollegesAfter 35 years, the number of medical colleges in the State has risen to 16 from 5. New medical colleges started in Manjeri, Idukki and Palakkad. Cochin Cooperative Medical College has been taken over by the government. Work progressing on medical colleges in Thiruvananthapuram, Konni, Kasaragod, Wayanad and Harippad. Steps taken for the takeover of Pariyaram Medical College and for the elevation of Parippally ESI Hospital in Kollam to medical college. New dental colleges started at Alappuzha and Thrissur. Total number of MBBS seats risen from 900 to 1250.Rs 1156 crore for providing 585 medicines free of costIncluding 69 medicines for the treatment of cancer, 585 medicines are given free of cost to all category of patients at government run hospitals. Already Rs 1156 crore has been spent for the purpose. 39 Karunya pharmacies started to check prices of medicines and medicines sold at reduced prices of 20 to 93 per cent.Comprehensive Healthcare SchemeWith an objective to bring various healthcare assistance schemes under one roof, families with annual income of less than rupees three lakhs will come under the Comprehensive Healthcare Scheme, announced in the State Budget for 2015-16. Through a smart card, beneficiary can avail of assistance up to Rs 2 lakhs and would benefit 42 lakh families.Welfare Pensions Worth Rs 15,911 croreFour types of welfare pensions from the department of social justice worth Rs 14,400 crore; eight types of pensions from the department of Labour worth Rs 1511 crore and the farmer’s pension from the department of Agriculture worth Rs 400 crore have been disbursed. Pension from Social Justice Department goes to more than 32 lakh people. Welfare pensions are disbursed by the 18th of every month. An average of Rs 240 crore is spent through local self-government bodies for the disbursal of welfare pensions and Rs 14,400 crore spent in a five-year period. Per month Rs 600 is spend on all categories of labour pensions and reaches 17.60 lakh beneficiaries. In 2013, disbursal of farmer’s pension to small and medium scale began at the rate of Rs 600 per farmer above the age of 60. Total beneficiaries in this category stand at 3.35 lakh and Rs 400 crore spent within a period of two years.Strong Social Welfare Measures2546 persons were given treatment and 1922 persons follow-up treatment under the free cancer treatment scheme for children up to 18 years. Project ‘Thalolam’, providing free treatment to seriously ill children of up to 18 years was implemented in 15 hospitals. 8146 new persons were provided free treatment and 2355 persons follow-up treatment.Persons assisting bedridden patients round-the-clock are being provided monthly financial assistance through the project – Aswasa Kiranam. There are 63,544 beneficiaries in this category. It was just 680 persons when this government assumed office. The aim is to provide assistance to 90,000 in the current financial year.Free Cancer TreatmentFree cancer treatment through the Sukritham project is now available at RCC Thiruvananthapuram, Malabar Cancer Centre, medical colleges at Thiruvananthapuram, Alalppuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur, Kozhikode and General Hospital Ernakulam. RCC secured the NABL accreditation through a Rs 117 crore expansion programme. Cancer institute and research centre is getting ready in Kochi. Mammogram unit started at General Hospital Thiruvananthapuram. Facilities for cancer treatment made available in all districts of Kerala.Mother and ChildImplemented free delivery related treatment and neonatal care up to 30 days, under the Mother and Child project. Newborn screening to detect genetic disorders and 59 neonatal care centres started at 59 hospitals. Started school health programme that provides treatment and medicines to 48 lakh students in 13,270 schools.17,000 to benefit from teachers’ packageThe new teachers’ package will benefit 17,000 recognized aided teachers serving in regular posts till March 31, 2015.Neera ProductionFarmers given permission to tap alcohol-free Neera from coconut trees after amending the 112-year-old Abkari laws. Licence issued to 173 coconut producing federations and three pilot Neera production centres sanctioned under Kerala Agriculture University. State Coconut Development Corporation is in charge of marketing. By tapping Neera, an average monthly income of Rs 2100 is expected from a coconut tree.42,225 acres of land to tribal people Project‘Aasikkum Bhoom’ (the desired land) has provided land ranging from 25 cents to one acre. 524 landless scheduled tribe families were given 184 acre of land through the project. In the TRDM rehabilitation programme of landless scheduled tribes 6814 families were given 8971 acre of land. Based on ‘Right to Forest Land Act’ 25,649 persons residing in the forests were given possession certificates and 33,070 acres of land provided.Subsidy of Rs 837.27 crore for checking price hikeGovernment was able to check rise in prices of essential commodities by distributing them at subsidized rates. Compared to Rs 344.31 crore given as subsidy to Supplyco during the period of the previous government, the subsidy amount has been Rs 538.37 crore during the period of the current government. Rice was also included in the subsidized category of items in 2014-15 and 95,188 metric tons of rice was distributed at reduced price. Rs 44.4 crore was given to Horticorp for the supply of vegetables at reduced rates.Currently, through the 20,428 outlets of Nanma Stores under the ConsumerFed, 10 essential commodities are being distributed at 20% less the rate in the open market. ConsumerFed has already been provided Rs 254.50 crore compared to the Rs 117.71 crore given by the previous government.Rs 300 crore for 15,000 Coastal Houses15,000 houses built free of cost to homeless fishermen in the State. Rs 300 crore was provided for the purpose. Flats were also provided to 450 fishermen families for which Rs 48.75 crore was spent. Financial assistance for house construction hiked from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh, which will be provided as 100% subsidy.3.86 lakh petitions resolved at revenue adaalatOf the 4.72 lakh petitions received at the revenue adalats held in all districts of the State, 3.86 lakh were resolved. Orders also issued for effecting mutation the next day itself, following the registration of land. Earlier, this was allowed only after a period of 30 days from the date of registration.2132 Arrested in 'Operation Kubera'14,155 raids were conducted and 2132 persons arrested as part of 'Operation Kubera' meant for nabbing privately run loan mafia. Rs 466 lakh was seized as part of the operation. The government also launched focused operations that included 'Operation Suraksha' for checking the activities of thugs and anti-social elements; 'Subha Yatra 2015' for creating awareness on traffic rules; 'Operation Vatsalya' for tracing missing children and 'Operation Clean Campus' for preventing use of narcotic drugs inside campuses.Land Provided to 10,271 FamiliesThree cents of land each were provided to 10,271 families, under the 'Zero Landless' scheme. Districts of Kannur, Kasaragod and Idukki became the first in the country to become 'zero landless'. Phase II of the scheme is progressing.Title Deed to 1.24 lakh PersonsTitle deeds given to 1.24 lakh persons within a period of four years, compared to Rs 84,606 title deeds during the period of the previous government.IT Exports Touch Rs 15,000 CroreIT sector in Kerala has grown to the extent of direct employment to one lakh persons and income generation of Rs 15,000 crore from IT exports. It was just Rs 3000 crores worth IT exports when the UDF government came to power in 2011. The annual income on rentals from Technopark and InfoPark is now Rs 70 crore. With the commissioning of phase 1 of SmartCity and CyberPark, IT exports from Kerala would reach Rs 18,000 crore in 2016 and two lakh direct employment.Number One in MSMEs in the CountryKerala topped the nation in terms of number of enterprises and employment generation in a national survey of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, based on population and land area. During the period 2006-11, only a total of 31,995 MSME units were registered and 2.23 lakh job opportunities and an investment of only Rs 3247.11 crore, compared to the last four financial years that saw 51,899 new MSMEs, 2.97 employment opportunities and investment of Rs 8225.05 crore.SC Medical CollegeFor the first time in the country, a medical college was started under the department of Scheduled Caste in Palakkad in 2014-15. Rs 24.33 crore was spent for project. Of the total admissions, 70% is for scheduled caste students and 2% for students belonging to the scheduled tribe.35th National GamesKerala won acclaim for organizing the 35th National Games in a commendable manner. 1.52 crore people took part in 'Run Kerala Run' a publicity campaign held at 7000 centres in Kerala, which found a place in the Limca Book of World Records. As part of the national games, nine playfields were built and 17 got modernized. For the first-time in India a green-field stadium was built through public-private partnership in Thiruvananthapuram. All medal winners of Kerala were given cash awards and jobs.Domestic Milk Production Increased by 83.08%Achieved 83.08% increase in domestic milk production. State's milk production in 2011 was 67% of the domestic demand. Stability ensured for milk price and steps taken to check price of fodder. Year-long subsidy provided to farmers for purchasing fodder. Production of milk has reached 11 lakh litres from 6.42 lakh litres five years ago. The daily import of milk by Milma from neighbouring States in 2010-11 has come down from 6.5 lakh litres to 2.2 lakh litres.Timely Interventions in NRK IssuesGovernment helped 3835 persons who were stranded in strife torn countries like Iraq, Libya and Yemen to return home safely, for which Rs 1.43 crore was spent. Provided assistance to Malayalees during floods in Jammu Kashmir, Uttarakhand and for their safe return back home.Free Power Supply to Life-Support UsersPeople on life-support systems are being provided with free-of-cost power supply. Power connection given to houses of less than 100 sq m on lands not under anyone's possession. Consumer given the choice for purchasing meters directly from the manufacturer for avoiding the meter rent to KSEB.LED Bulbs at Token RatesTwo LED bulb of nine watts, costing Rs 400 each are being given to households at a token rate of Rs 95.Four By-Passes @ Rs 1466 croreFour by-passes worth Rs 1466 crore are nearing completion. Completed the 28.1 km long, Rs 145 crore Kozhikode by-pass in 18 months. By-passes in Alappuzha (Rs 348.43 crore), Kollam (Rs 352.05 crore) and Thiruvananthapuram (Rs 621 crore) are fast progressing. Rs 1824 crore sanctioned for renovation of roads in 2016.28 More Municipalities28 panchayats that have attained urban characteristics made municipalities and Kannur municipality elevated to corporation. 15 B grade municipalities elevated to A grade and 17 C grade municipalities to B grade.1.75 crore Digital CertificatesAs part of Project e-District, 1.75 crore digital certificates issued till December 10, 2015. 24 types of certificates are issued online by the Revenue department. All the 14 districts of Kerala are included in the 50 e-Districts in India. Completed the procedure for providing 1 GB connectivity in all grama panchayats, making Kerala the first digital State in India.Emerging KeralaWork has commenced on 56 projects, worth Rs 32,137 crore that were submitted during the global investor meet - Emerging Kerala. Of these projects, 14 projects of Rs 23,334 crore are under the department of Industries. Projects like BPCL Downstream, Kochi Petrochemical Park, Poly Isobutene project, BioNutra Park, Biomedical Devices Hub are some of the projects that would add to the outlook of Kerala in future. Already, projects like the joint venture by Mercedes Benz and the department of Higher Education, Bosch and department of Higher Education, Kids Lab by BASF India and the department of Science and Technology have started.Massive Participation in Start-UpsThe Start-Up village at Kalamassery in Kochi has become a role model for rest of the country. Within a short period, student and youth entrepreneurs have come up with 7000 odd concepts and have registered at the Start-Up Village. These young entrepreneurs are provided 4% grace marks and 20 per cent relaxation in attendance. During 2014-15 the turnover of start-ups from IT and IT related ventures was Rs 7.84 crore. Basic facilities for the start-ups were provided through government IT parks and Micro, Medium and Small-Scale clusters.Rs 20 lakh Loan to Young Entrepreneurs'Young Entrepreneurship Summit' held to assist youth with innovative industrial ventures to become young entrepreneurs and 'We Mission' meet held for the first time in India for women. Angel fund was formed to create initial capital and Seed fund to give additional assistance to young entrepreneurs. Incubation Centers were formed in colleges to realize the business concepts of students. For encouraging young entrepreneurs, Kerala State Entrepreneur Development Mission was formed. Already 2,834 ventures have been selected for the Rs 20 lakh interest-free loan scheme. 5000 persons were given training. Financial assistance provided to 650 ventures, out of which 450 have become fully functional. This scheme has provided direct jobs to 3000 persons and indirectly to almost the same number.Rs 220 crore National WaterwayThe 205 km Kollam-Kottappuram National Waterway, the only one in the State is getting ready for inauguration. For commencing the transportation of goods, Rs 150 lakh has been sanctioned for the construction of permanent berths at Udyogamandal and Chavara. The whole project is of Rs 220 crore.Rs 24,000 crore for PanchayatsRs 24,000 crore from Panchayat Plan fund provided to panchayats, which is an all-time record. For its activities in decentralization of power and empowerment of democracy, at the national level, Kerala stood second in 2011-12 and 2013-14, third in 2012-13 and took the first spot in 2014-15. Kollam district panchayat bagged the national award for the comprehensive welfare and development activities. Idukki and Veliyanadu block panchayats; Nadaapuram, Kaviyur, Marangattupally, Maneedu and Iraviperur grama panchayaths also won national awards. Kerala also won the national award for digitization of grama panchayats.Rs 3000 crore Japan drinking Water ProjectThe Rs 3000 crore Japan Drinking Water Project has been implemented successfully in Thriuvananthapuram, Meenadu (Kollam), Cherthala, Kozhikode and Pattuvam (Kannur). 41 lakh people are getting the benefit.4.5 Crore TouristsState Tourism Department is placed second in terms of contribution to the State’s GDP, which is 10%. In 2011-14, the State received 4.53 crore tourists and earned an income of Rs 87,754 crore.Backward Classes Development Department, CorporationsBackward Classes Development Department, Backward Classes Development Corporation, Backward Classes Commission and Minority Commission and Kerala State Welfare Corporation for Forward Communities Limited to promote the comprehensive development and welfare of the economically backward sections among the forward communities of Kerala were formed. Loans worth Rs 1003.83 crore were disbursed by Backward Classes Development Corporation to 1.40 lakh people. Converted Christian Development Commission under the Backward Classes Development Department gave loans to the tune of Rs 28.09 crore to 10,534 people.Rs 6082 crore Through AswasAswas project was launched with the objectives of reducing loan arrears due to Cooperative Societies and Banks and also to provide relief to those struggling with loan repayment. Through the project, Rs 6082.19 crore was collected in terms of arrears and benefits of Rs 935.14 crore provided to loanees.Three Flyovers Worth Rs 212 croreNearing completion are the flyovers at Palarivattom (Rs 72.60 crore) and at Edappally (Rs 108.77 crore). The Rs 30.17 crore Kanjikuzhi flyover in Kottayam town will be completed in 18 months' time.245 Bridges of Rs 1600 croreConstruction of 245 bridges in different districts has been completed for which Rs 1600 was spent. The tenure of the current government witnessed the construction of maximum number of bridges in the State.Rs 2,403 crore KSTP Phase IIReceived World Bank assistance for the Rs 2,403 crore Phase II project of KSTP. Under this project, nine roads of 363 km is being developed as per international standards. They are Kasaragod-Kanhangad, Pilathara-Pappinissery, Thalassery-Valavupara, Thiruvalla by-pass, Chengannur-Ettumannur, Ponkunnam-Thodupuzha, Punalur-Ponkunnam and Perumbilavu-Perinthalmanna. The project will be over by September 2018.Construction of Six Major Roads of Rs 3,272 croreConstruction of Ramapuram-Nalambalam Darshanam road (Rs 50.75 crore), KanjikuzhiVettathukavala-Karukachal road (Rs 45.35 crore), Karamana-Kaliyikkavila NH (Rs 263 crore), Kuttippuram-Puthuponnani road (Rs 54.22 crore), Vallarpadam-Kozhikode coastal road (Rs 117.14 crore), Airport-Seaport road (Rs 216.97 crore) roads have become an asset to Kerala's basic development.Rs 100 crore Sewerage Plant at MuttatharaA Rs 100 crore sewerage treatment plant with capacity of 107 MLD has started functioning at Muttathara in Thiruvananthapuram. Steps are being taken to start plants at Kozhikode, Kochi and Kollam. Work on the first Septage Treatment Plant in the country has been completed at Brahmapuram in Kochi.Plastic Wastes at Rs TwoClean Kerala Company has been formed for the collection and processing of wastes. Kerala is the first State in the country to collect plastic wastes and e-wastes by giving money. Steps are being taken to start the first plastic processing plant in Kochi Corporation. Clean Kerala Company is collecting plastic wastes at a rate of Rs 2 per kg and e wastes at a rate of Rs 25 per kg. So far, 150 ton e-waste and 134 ton plastic waste have been collected. Discarded CFL bulbs, CDs and tube lights are also collected.Online Payment of Electricity BillAll section offices of KSEB Ltd have been computerized. Centralized Customer Care and Call Centre started for the consumers to register complaints and to get essential information. Online payment system provided for payment of electricity bills. Provided internet based remittance of electricity bills in all section offices.Electricity reaches 1.7 lakh rural homes1.7 lakh rural houses provided electricity connection through Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Scheme. 65,659 houses that come under the BPL category were given free of cost electricity connection. Rs 201.64 crore has been spent for the project.Record Financial Assistance to Public SectorAn all-time record financial assistance of Rs 899.90 crore has been sanctioned to 44 public sector undertakings under the Industrial department. e-Tender and e-Payment facilities introduced. Procedure completed for implementing e-Auction system in public sector undertakings.Rs 6,510 crore Spent on MNREGSMarked changes affected in the rural sector by spending Rs 6,510 crore through MNREGS. Each year, an average of 17 lakh families got employment. During 2006-11, the amount spent was just Rs 1508 crore. Work-time re-scheduled from 9 am to 5 pm. and the daily wage of Rs 150 was raised to Rs 227 in 2011. Assistance for education of children and gifts during Onam season were also provided to the families of workers by the government. Electronic Fund Management System introduced in all grama panchayats to credit wages of labourers directly to their bank accounts.Three lakh New Pipe ConnectionsThree lakh new pipe connections provided. Drinking water made available through 2.07 lakh publics taps. The target is to provide 4.19 lakh new connections this year.Paddy Procurement: 1.5 lakh Farmers to BenefitAchieved good progress in paddy procurement. In 2014-15, 5.50 tons of paddy was procured from 1.25 lakh farmers. Support price of paddy became Rs 21.50. 1.25 lakh farmers got the benefit.Raw Coconut ProcurementFor the first time in the State, a record 70213.69 tons of raw coconut was procured by KERAFED. For units that undertakes processing of raw coconut to copra, apart from the price of coconut the government is giving Rs 500 as financial assistance for a quintal of copra. The procurement price of raw coconut is Rs 25.Compensation to Crops Damaged by Wild AnimalsCompensation to crops damaged by wild animals can be given four times. The maximum is Rs 75,000/- Treatment assistance to those injured in wild animal attack has been raised to Rs 75,000. Sanction has been given to kill wild boars that destroy crops, subject to certain conditions.Stamp Duty: Benefits Worth Rs 1800 croreThe Stamp duty for partition, release, gift and settlement deeds executed between family members have been reduced to Rs 1000 and registration fees reduced by 1%. This will benefit 49 lakh people by Rs 1800 crore in terms of Stamp duty and Rs 300 crore in terms of registration fees.Undervaluation: Benefit of Rs 403 croreOne-time settlement scheme was implemented to settle arrear undervaluation cases. All undervaluation cases of title deeds involving land transactions of less than five cents in panchayats have been exempted. This will benefit about two lakh people by Rs 100 crore. 1,31,111 undervaluation cases were settled through one-time settlement scheme by paying a token amount as fee, which benefited that much number of families by Rs 303 crore.Motorized Tri-Scooters to 5010 PersonsMotorized Tri-Scooters were given to 5010 persons through the State Handicapped Persons’ Welfare Corporation and LSGs. Janani and Jathik, two mobile phone applications that utilizes GIS to monitor the health of newborn babies in Attapadi was introduced.Schemes for Endosulfan VictimsThose endosulfan victims who are getting disability pension from LSGs are given Rs 1700 per month and Rs 2200 to those who are not getting pension. Other endosulfan victims, suffering health issues are given monthly financial assistance of Rs 1200. Students in families affected by endosulfan are given Rs 2000, Rs 3000 and Rs 4000 as assistance for studying up to Plus Two. A special fund has also been sanctioned by Kasaragod district collector for the treatment of these students. Rs 51.30 crore has been sanctioned to the district collector for giving compensation of up to Rs 5 lakhs to victims of endosulfan.Hearing Ability to 581Cochlear implantation surgery done on 620 children through the Sruthi Tharangam project. The inability to hear was identified in these children at a very young age and got included in the project. The government gives Rs 5.10 lakh for a cochlear implantation surgery.Classical Language Status and University for MalayalamMalayalam University started at Thunchan Parambu and achieved Classical Language Status for Malayalam. Malayalam language got this status along with Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit. Viswa Malayala Mahotsavam celebrated after 34 years.Technology UniversityKerala Technological University set up under the department of Technical Education. All engineering colleges in the State are members of this University. 50,000 students will get the benefit.Police UniversityNational University for Police Sciences and Security Studies started. Graduate and postgraduate courses will be conducted on subjects related to police. Facilities for research will also be provided.Sree Narayana Studies in School SyllabusSree Narayana studies have been included in Malayalam and Social Science text books of class seven. In connection with the centenary celebrations of Daiva Dasakam of Sree Narayana Guru, the prayer song was published bearing the picture of the Guru. A topical book to evaluate the visionary values of Daiva Dasakam published. Rs 4 crore has been sanctioned to Sivagiri Sreenarayana Dharmasangham Trust for the constructing of a Convention Centre.720 new busesA subsidiary corporation by the name of KURTC started and 320 buses sanctioned. Purchase order given for buying 400 buses in the next phase. Bus terminals at Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvalla and Kozhikode were commissioned on BOT basis. 10 multi-axle Volvo buses have been rolled out for service by spending Rs 10 crore. ePayment system and courier service started.See Kuttanad Double Decker'See Kuttanad' service started by using two double-decker passenger-cum-tourist boats that can accommodate 90 persons each. 45 steel boats are currently in operation. Bio toilet facility provided on passenger boats.Zoological ParkZoological Park is turning into a reality in Thrissur. e-Auction facility introduced for auctioning of wood. 390.50 lakh saplings distributed as per Haritha Keralam project. Kutti Vanam project started. 700 posts of tribal watchmen created and appointment given.215 core for SettlementsFor the development of 436 Scheduled Caste settlements in which 50 or more families are living, Rs 215 crore has been sanctioned at the rate of Rs 1 crore each for developing 215 settlements. So far Rs 94.42 crore has been spent and development activities at 25% of the settlements completed.Rs 665 crore for Buying Land; Rs 568 crore for House ConstructionThe financial help that is being given to the landless and homeless belonging to the SC category has been increased from Rs 75,000 to Rs 3.75 lakh in rural areas, Rs 90,000 to Rs 4.50 lakh in municipal areas and Rs One lakh to Rs 6 lakh in Corporation areas. Assistance for construction of houses increased from Rs One lakh to Rs Three lakh. Installments of grants given at a lower rate to beneficiaries earlier have been given remaining installments at higher rate. Rs 664.86 crore was given to 29,465 families for buying land and Rs 568.33 crore to 24,141 families for construction of new houses.Rs 43 crore for 43 Model ColoniesThe Model Colony project for which Rs One crore is being spent for one ST colony has so far come up with 43 model colonies at a cost of Rs 43 crore.Janani Janmaraksha SchemeThe scheme provides pregnant women belonging to ST community and lactating mothers with monthly financial assistance of Rs.1000, starting from the third month of pregnancy and up to 12 months after delivery has so far benefited 11,000 persons. Debt Relief To 12,216 Persons Loans worth Rs 140 crore, taken by 12,216 persons belonging to the ST category from banks and various other institutions had been written off. These were loans of up to Rs One lakh, pending payment as on 01-04-2014.Snehaveedu to 30,308By combining the general housing project of ST Development department, housing project using HUDCO loan, Indira Awas Yojana project of Rural Development department and the housing project of panchayats, the amount for constructing 30,308 houses under the comprehensive housing project, started in 2015-16 was increased from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh.Package for Primitive TribesThe package for primitive tribes worth Rs 148 crore saw 8001 persons getting the benefit of land, house, basic facilities and livelihood. 12 New Taluks, 31 New Villages 12 taluks and 31 villages were newly formed. Manjeswaram, Vellarikundu, Iritti, Thamarassery, Kondotti, Pattambi, Chalakkudy, Idukki, Konni, Kattakada, Varkala and Punalur are the new taluks.Title Deed for Revenue LandSteps taken to amend laws for providing title deeds to people who are living in revenue land for years. This will be completed within the tenure of this government.Coastal Ship TransportationCostal ship transportation project started. Commenced merchant ship service from Kollam, Beypore, Azheekal ports to ports in other States. As part of the project, ships transporting one ton of cargo will be given an incentive of Rs 1 for a km and Rs 1 for a km for passengers. Ponnani has become the first PPP port in the State.CIAL - Total Solar Powered AirportCIAL has become the first airport in the world to totally run on solar power. Work on the new Rs 1000 crore international terminal has begun. It has registered a record increase in terms of passengers and cargo.Debt Relief ProjectsRelaxed interest rate to those who repay short term agriculture loans without default, debt relief projects to members of SC / ST who have taken loans from cooperative societies and banks and special debt relief project for fishermen implemented.Rs 300 crore Cancer Care CentreRs 300 crore cancer care centre, equipped with the most modern of facilities, coming up in Kozhikode district at the initiative of cooperative bank. Flat complex is also coming up in Thiruvananthapuram.Vegetable Farming in 90,533 HectaresArea of vegetable farming increased from 42,447 hectares in 2011-12 to 90,533 hectares in 2014-15. Production also increased from 8.25 lakh tons to 15.32 lakh tons. Vegetable farming carried out on commercial basis through 2479 clusters of farmers in 12,400 hectares of land. 22 lakh vegetable seed kits were distributed to school students and women free of cost and achieved vegetable farming in household premises.Vigilant KeralaVigilant Kerala project started with public participation to combat corruption. Welcome to Vigilant Kerala Web Portal started as part of the project. If convinced that there is conviction in a government project or work then that can be post on website. Facility in place at Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau for receiving complaints through social media.Jail ChapatiChapati making unit started at Thiruvananthapuram Central Prison and food processing units started at Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kollam and Kozhikode prisons for providing quality food to the public at rates lower than the market rates. The income from this was Rs 8 crore in 2014. Rs 26 crore solar projects of 1078 KW capacity implemented at different prisons. CCTV system provided at Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Kannur and Ernakulam prisons at a cost of Rs 4.20 crore.Water Tax: 7253 Complaints RedressedIn the adalats that were conducted in all districts of the State, 7253 complaints related to arrears in water tax were resolved.Rs 1769 crore Rural Drinking Water ProjectUnder the rural drinking water project, 209 projects, estimated at Rs 1769 crore are being implemented and that too in a manner that a person gets 70 liters of drinking water per day. Taking into account the outstanding implementation of accelerated rural drinking water projects, Kerala Water Authority received an additional amount of Rs 169.70 crore from the Central government.Pipes Worth Rs 445 croreRs 445.37 crore spent for laying quality pipes. Use of concrete and AC pipes avoided. The diameter of drinking water pipes in the city area has been fixed at 150 mm and 80 mm in rural areas. The new drinking water projects should only use MS (mild steel), DI, PVC, PE pipes. PVC pipes should not be used where the diameter exceeds 160 mm. This new pipe policy has been formulated to prevent bursting of pipes. As part of the measures to prevent pipe bursts, Mild Steel pipes were laid from Aruvikkara to Peroorkada, replacing the old ones.22 Arts and Science CollegesFor the first time in the history of Kerala, 22 Arts and Science colleges were started in the government sector. 320 courses were also sanctioned in government-aided colleges.IITIndian Institute of Technology will come up in an area of 400 acres at Kanjikode in Palakkad District.Rajiv Gandhi Knowledge Centre for Career Studies and ResearchRajiv Gandhi Knowledge Centre for Career Studies and Research formed for the education and training of fishermen children and youth in the coastal area.22,300 Students Admitted to Plus Two62 government higher secondary schools and 167 aided higher secondary schools sanctioned. 22,300 students given admission to plus two courses in the 110 newly allotted 110 batches in the government sector and 336 in the aided sector.Aided Status to Buds SchoolsAided status given to special schools that are having strength of more than 100 students including Buds schools. In-principal approval has been given for granting aided status to special schools having strength of more than 50 students.Italian Marines to Abide by Indian LawsThe two Italian marines who shot dead fishermen off the Kerala coast were eventually made to abide by Indian laws and face trial in India.Kerala Model HealthcareKerala has become the first State in India to have Allopathy, Ayurveda and Homoeo hospitals in all panchayats. Kerala has also become a totally Ayurveda State by starting Ayurvedic treatment centers in all panchayats. Department of Ayush formed by coordinating the treatment streams of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. Permanent Ayurvedic treatment centers were started at 77 places where the treatment was not available. 343 posts were created for this and postings done. 110 Homoeo dispensaries started and 446 new posts created and postings done.Rs 61 crore for Sabarimala Master PlanWorks worth Rs 61.27 completed as part of Sabarimala Master Plan, which is meant for providing basic facilities. Rs 10 crore given for Zero Waste Sabarimala project. Waste processing plant started at Sannidhanam. Works of walkway canopy, eight queue complexes and underpass from Pamba to Sannidhanam completed. Swami Ayyappan road readied for tractors to ply. Arogyabhavan at Pamba, Rs 523 crore renovation and repair of roads to Sabarimala undertaken. Rs 7 crore new bridge at Kanamala for making travel from Erumeli to Pampa easy and Rs 8.14 crore worth roads (14 m wide) with sidewalks at Nilakkal, facility for parking more than 10,000 vehicles, water-tank of 10 lakh liter capacity and two bore wells constructed. The roads to Sabarimala were renovated by spending 518 crore in connection with the pilgrimage season. Works of major roads leading to Sabarimala (75.2km) under heavy maintenance scheme and with five years guarantee were completed. These roads were constructed under heavy maintenance project which has a guarantee of 5 years. 124 km roads were renovated with a guarantee of three years.Centres for Imparting SkillStarted, the Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence, the nodal agency for providing skill excellence to the youth. Under this, Nursing Institute for Career Enhancement and Centre for Excellence in International Security at Thiruvananthapuram and Enlightened Skills Programme in Oil and Rig stated at Angamali. Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction started functioning at Chavara in Kollam. IIIC would soon start to function for making labourers skilled for undertaking model construction works of high standards at Chavara.Benefit to 10 lakh WorkersMore than half a century old Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishment Law and Rules amended in a timely manner. There are norms in the law for providing experience certificate to workers / employees, appointment order and hostel facility, which are to be given by the owner. The new law ensures crèche facility for the children of women workers, retiring room, clean toilets, seating facility inside retiring rooms and facility to deposit sanitary napkins. About 10 lakh workers will benefit through this amendment.Three Welfare Projects for WorkersAbout 10 lakh plantation workers, 2.5 lakh coir workers has been included in the Aam Admi Beema Yojana, which ensures comprehensive insurance protection from accidents to the families of workers in the unorganized sector. Rs 75,000 for death due to accident and permanent disability, Rs 30,000 for natural death and Rs 37,500 for partial disability are being given. Scholarships are also given to the children of those enrolled in the project and studying from classes 9 to 12 (including ITI), the amount being Rs 1200 per month. CHIS Plus project has been implemented for giving an additional amount of Rs 70,000, apart from the Rs 30,000 given for treatment of serious illnesses. This is for members of Comprehensive Health Insurance, meant for treatment assistance. Implemented Sanjeevani scheme for giving financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the descendants in the event of accidental death of a family head, who is a member of the Comprehensive Health Insurance and CHIS plus schemes.Minimum Wages RevisedWages were revised on two occasions in the plantation sector and were the highest increase in the history of the State. The new rates for rubber, coffee, tea and cardamom are Rs 381, Rs 301 and Rs 330 respectively. Wages were revised in the cashew sector too. Fair wages were also revised for the motor workers. Steps are being taken at a fast pace to renew minimum wages in all labour sectors that have completed its term. Minimum wages renewed in 16 labour sectors. In addition five new labour sectors included in the list of minimum wages.Nokku Kooli abolishedNokku Kooli has been banned State-wide. Complaints can be registered by calling the call centre number 155214 or the toll-free number 180042555214.Eleven Autonomous CollegesEleven autonomous colleges started in the State. Autonomous status awarded to Thiruvananthapuram Mar Ivanios College, Kollam Fathima Matha College, Changanassery S B, Sacred Heart, Maharajas College, St Theresa's College, Rajagiri College, Farook College, MES Mambadu, St Josephs Devagiri and St Thomas Thrissur. Over a period of time, these colleges can start new courses. In future, they will become autonomous universities. They can prepare syllabus, conduct exams and can announce results independently. Autonomous colleges will get aid from UGC.Wages Protection SystemWages protection system implemented for giving wages through banks to workers employed in different private sectors. Kerala is the first state to implement such a project. The officials of Labour department can now monitor online whether the wages as prescribed by the law are reaching the workers.Five Projects for Construction of HousesKerala State Housing Board freed from the loan liability to HUDCO by paying Rs 730.67 crore inclusive of interest. Five projects Saphalyam, Santhwanam, Sayoojyam, Saubhagyam and Grihasree were formulated to provide houses to the people belonging to all sections. The Budget share for the housing sector in these five projects was Rs 2,077.65 crore during 2010-11. This was increased to RS 3,259 crore during 2014-15. 2064 persons belonging to lower income group having 2 or 3 cents of land as their own has been given assistance for construction of homes ranging from 30 sq m to 60 sq m, under the Grihasree housing project. Rs 55.59 crore given to 8,235 houses under M N Laksham Veedu reconstruction project and 218 houses reconstructed at Bangladesh colony at Rs 15 crore. 216 flats under Saphalyam project for constructing flats to those belonging to the weaker sections at Chathannur in Kollam, Chelannur in Kozhikode, Chottanikkara in Ernakulam, Puthukadu in Thrissur are under construction. 500 more flats will be constructed in the second phase.Major LawsRight to Service Act: This law ensures that the public gets the required service within a stipulated period of time.Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of violence) Act: Intended to prevent violence against healthcare service personnel and prevention of violence and property loss of healthcare service institutions.Kerala Prohibition of Charging Exorbitant Interest Act: Law for banning exorbitant interest rates on loans and for giving rigorous punishment for taking excess interest. More effective measures for the protection of river banks and for checking sand mining.Kerala Lifts and Escalators Act: For the erection, maintenance and security of lifts and escalators in Kerala.Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University Law: For the establishment of Malayalam University to enrich the studies and research on Malayalam language, literature and culture.State Minority Commission Act: Formation of the commission for the educational progress, welfare, protection and empowerment of minorities.State Youth Commission Act: Formation of a commission for the preparation of projects for making the youth well educated, empowerment and also for the protection of the rights of youth.Kerala Anti-Social (prevention) Activities Amendment Act: Amendment to make KAPA more rigorous and flawless.Fish Seed Law: Law to check production quality, marketing and storage of of fish seeds. CESS on KSRTC tickets to provide more facilities for commuters and for the social security of employees. Law to protect the interests of investors in different financial institutions.Devaswom Recruitment Board Law: Law to form a recruitment board for making appointments to various posts.APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University Law: Law pertaining to the formation of Science and Technology University to encourage scientific and technological education.Real Estate Regulation Law: Law for the formation of a regulatory authority for controlling and supporting the real estate sector.Expatriate Indians (Keralites) Commission Act: Law for the formation of a commission to protect the interests and welfare of the expatriate Keralites inside the State. Law for the formation of a State Commission for forward communities. Law that allows PSC to undertake University postings.Malayalam Language (propagation and enrichment) Bill: Law that ensures adaptation of Malayalam as the official language, its usage at all levels and its propagation, enrichment and sustenance.100-Day MagicOut of the 107 programmes announced 102 could be completed within 100 days. 24x7 Call Centre, Disclosure of Personal Assets, Whistle Blower System, Settlement of Moolampilli, Chengara struggles and Enhanced security to Padmanbha Swamy temple were implemented successfully.Seven Streams ProjectsSeven-Stream Projects were implemented following the 100-day magic of the government. Seven paths were announced to attain the aim of development and care. The Seven-Stream Projects were announced on 17 November 2011. A total of 664 projects were announced under the seven streams. 91.71% of the projects have been achieved.RecognitionsCM’s Jana Samparka Paripadi received the UN Award for Public Service in 2013. It was for the first time that a chief minister in the country was selected for this prestigious award.CM’s Website received the Web Ratna Award of the Union government in 2012. Kerala received the IBN 7 Diamond State Award for its performance in the fields of education, health, environment and poverty alleviation.India Today State of the States Award in 2013 for achieving outstanding growth in the fields of education, macro economics, agriculture, consumer market and investment.Kerala received the first prize of the Union government in 2014-15 for its performance in decentralization of power and empowerment of democracy. The responsible tourism project implemented at Kumarakom won the Ulysses Prize, known as the Oscar in tourism sector.The publicity event ‘Run Kerala Run’ a mass run for National Game witnessed the participation of 1.52 crore people and earned a place in the Limca Book of World Records. The mass run was arranged at 7000 centers across Kerala.Kerala has continuously received the Energy Award from 2012 instituted by the Ministry of Power.Kerala also received the India Power Award in 2014 and the award of the Ministry of Power in 2015 for implementing the most number of Pico hydro electricity project.Courtesy: Achievements of UDF Government in Kerala : Ready Reckoner

QUESTION: Is it smart to rent a house under a lease to own option?ANSWER: I’m answering only because I was A2A. Donald already provided a comprehensive answer.It can be a really dumb thing to do, if you are not careful, or if you have not thought through the implications. It can be smart if you want to own a house and the lease-to-own framework is right for you… and both you and the current owner/landlord are being careful and straightforward about the transaction.Here are some highlights.The contract needs to protect the interests of both parties. I’ll get back to that.As mentioned elsewhere, if you want to rent… just rent. It’s less complicated, and less expensive in the short term.If you want to buy, and have a down-payement and have suitable credit scores and current employment to be approved for a mortgage, then just buy a house or condo or apartment.I’m going to take a bit of a detour, for a moment, but it might be helpful - do you know why a person might want to invest in bonds, rather than (say) stocks? Obviously, if the market currently favors debt instruments over equity, then that’s already explained… for people with money to invest and the flexibility to put it where it makes the most sense at any given moment.But what about somebody who doesn’t have a lot of money and wants to build up some net worth? Well, if they don’t have much self-discipline, then they can buy into bonds or other longer-term debt as a kind of forced savings. The payroll deduction method lets you painlessly build up some savings that are resistant to impulse withdrawals, and the results at various future times can be pre-defined… that is, you know what you are getting when you cash out, compared to equity/stocks that might fluctuate wildly in value and sell-ability (liquidity).To bring that back to real estate, if you are currently renting, and you want to own, you need to:a) build up a down-paymentb) prove - both to yourself and potential lenders - that you can comfortably maintain the higher monthly payments on a mortgage, compared to rent (*).(* You also need to accustom yourself to putting aside additional-additional savings for property taxes, repairs and maintenance, homeowners insurance, etc., that you do not worry about if you are renting. You should already be paying for your renters insurance, but that’s probably less costly than full-on, all-risks homeowner insurance. )You discipline yourself to “pay” that difference every month, because once you get on the ownership track, you have no choice but to come up with all those payments and contingencies… so get used to it before you start. If you can’t discipline yourself to line up all those different amounts - and refrain from spending on frivolous stuff - before you take on a house purchase and mortgage, then you’ll be a bad risk attempting to suddenly learn fiscal prudence afterward.What this means is that you pay your rent on your apartment or house to your landlord, but you also “pay” the difference (between that rent amount and the amount you would probably need to pay on mortgage payments and other house-related costs) into a savings account or other instrument. Over the months and years, assuming that you do not withdraw any of the accumulating money, you are building up your down-payment toward a property purchase. This is hard to do - there’s always something tempting you to take some or all of that cash for other purposes… reducing or eliminating your nest-egg, and thereby putting off your down-payment forever.So, a lease-to-own contract can be the “forced savings” version.If a person owns a property that they want to sell, and that you want to buy, you could just poney-up the full price and be done in one swoop… if you had it. They go away with a bundle of cash, and you have a new home. That’s fine if you have saved with tremendous discipline for many years, or if you inherited some money, to cover the full selling price, plus any other costs to buy outright (lawyer and title search, property inspection, and so on).If you are not quite that flush with cash, then most people have a down-payment, and they undertake a mortgage for the remainder. That means, they commit to paying every month or every two weeks, a sum of money that includes some interest and some pay-down of the borrowed principle. If they default, the contract allows the mortgage-holder to foreclose - take the property and sell it to recover their outlay. Your contract might say that a foreclosure satisfies your debt and you can walk away, or it might say that you must make up the difference between what the mortgage holder could get for the property and what you agreed to pay them originally… minus payments (of principle) that you have made.I can’t do itWhat if you can’t make your payments?If you are renting, the landlord can be:a) an idiot and choose to be “nice” to you, while losing their livelihood, orb) a sensible business person.You know that big amount of money that you could not come up with, to buy a property? Well, the landlord has scrimped and saved and worked and borrowed and done whatever it took for THEM to come up with enough money, and to buy the property that you are renting. They took all the risks and they have a huge amount of capital tied up in that building. It’s not a hobby. It’s a business. It’s their livelihood - their job, all day, every day, is to make that business work, so they can put food on the table for their family. They probably owe a bunch of money that they have to pay every month, plus they have the responsibility for all taxes and insurance costs and repairs and maintenance, AND they must put aside money into a reserve fund for the inevitable big-ticket items, like replacing windows and roof after some number of years, replacing the HVAC system when it wears out and is no longer economical to keep patching/fixing.A side-trip about ordinary rental situations (not rent-to-own, yet)HERE’S THE BIG THING about rental properties - THERE IS NO MONEY TREE! There is no money coming into that property that is not generated BY that property. This means that all the rents must pay for all the costs, plus give the landlord some return after all those costs are accounted for. If it’s a single-detached home, then the rent that they collect must completely cover all costs, at the very minimum. There is no magic money that comes in from some other source, to pay for the upkeep of that property. Landlords don’t have “another pocket” from which to get money if the rental unit is not paying what it needs to pay. The landlord needs to eat and pay her/his own taxes and utilities and other costs, so that property that you rent must contribute to their living. It’s their pay, just like when you get paid by an employer, except, for them, the business of rental properties pays their “salary”, but only after all expenses are covered.So, the landlord must operate it like the business that it is… or lose it. If you fail to make your monthly rent payment, they must instantly commence eviction proceedings (which also costs money…). They can’t just say “ok, I understand you are a little short right now, just pay me by the 15th. If they do that, they have lost a month in which they can get the property emptied, cleaned, repaired, advertised, shown, and rented to somebody who is willing (or able…) to pay. In many cases, if the first-of-the-month rent is not paid, on-time-and-in-full, the landlord has just a few days, legally, to take action, or they are forbidden to do it until the beginning of the next month. Also, in many cases, the law effectively limits their options to commencing eviction. It’s all-or-nothing. There are no lesser remedies. . . as soon as something fishy happens, start eviction proceedings, and then see if the situation can be saved and the eviction halted.If they get the rent from you, in that month, they can halt the process, but they need to have “gone on record” as commencing their legal remedy as soon as the problem happened - NOT wait a month to see how it plays out. This is how they establish, month-after-month that there is a history of missed or late payments, so they can eventually get their apartment back. For example, if you can barely make rent on the first of each month (meaning that it takes you a month to earn enough money, and they let you wait until the 15th, one month, that means you have only two weeks to earn the money by the 1st of the next month. Fat chance. If they try to be lenient, the law presumes that no problem existed, or it was resolved satisfactorily, and the landlord must start over. That’s why, as soon as you slip, they must invoke eviction. If it was an actual bank screw-up, and you had the money, but couldn’t get it out, then you can pay before the month ends AND you also have the money to pay the next month’s rent a couple of days later. The landlord simply stops the eviction, and you go back to paying on time; it was a glitch. But that is almost never the problem. When somebody misses a payment, it’s almost always bad money management, sudden unemployment, illness, or similar, and the landlord just doesn’t have options other than commencing eviction proceedings at the earliest legal moment.If they lose an entire month of rent, they have lost any profit from that unit for the whole year. They are working for free, that entire year, when that unit should have been paying part of their “salary”. The law does not allow landlords to “be nice guys and let late payments slide”. In many jurisdictions, the law does not allow a landlord to let you pay a lower rent for a time, and then jack it up to “market rates” when you can pay. Just by accepting partial payment, they can be screwing themselves by setting a lower rent than will pay their costs, and that becomes the new normal for future rent increases.The laws and regulations exist to protect both the tenants and the landlords. If the law swings too far toward leniency for tenants, then landlords lose money and have to cut back somewhere… like maintenance, and longer response times. When everybody pays their rent, and a toilet backs up, the landlord can send one of his handymen to fix it right away. When some people aren’t paying, and are tying the landlord up in court/tribunal, the property company (through which the landlord owns the building(s)) must lay off a handyman. Or if they had just one guy, now he’s put on half-days and must get a second job, so he’s not available half the time, or there’s nobody but the landlord and his toolbelt and now it takes two or three days to get an emergency fixed, and maybe months to get something really-annoying, but non-emergency breakage repaired. If the law swings too far in favor of landlords, gentrification happens and more people are on the street… or packed into slums. When the laws get unbalanced, the middle gets eaten out of the rental-housing cookie, leaving only the posh and the bleak, with no in-between.WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH LEASE-TO-OWN?A person who owns a property that they decide to sell via lease-to-own/rent-to-own contract has all the monetary responsibilities of the pure-rental landlord, but:a) they are selling the property to somebody who would not normally qualify (you) - which is a big risk for themb) they are not controlled by the same landlord-tenant rules, because the lease-to-own agreement falls outside the ordinary landlord-tenant relationship (possibly a risk for you).IF YOU WANT IT, they are selling you something that you cannot get elsewhere - the ability to eventually own your own home - they could sell it for current market value, in the same way that any house (or condo) is sold, but they are electing to sell it for an anticipated future market value, and delay getting their full gratification (the selling price that would otherwise be in their pocket when they handed over the keys).THAT is worth money to some people. Some people can live in any old rental unit and save up a down-payment, while keeping up a good credit rating. Other people cannot. If you are stable and employed but have a less-than-ideal credit rating, and are not a disciplined saver, rent-to-own might be for you.How it worksThe property owner offers the unit for sale. They could have any of several reasons for offering rent-to-own. The contracts can vary widely, but they have some elements in common.The two parties agree on a purchase price, which is assumed, by both, to be reasonable at some future time, when the property ownership is to be turned over. It includes a premium to make it worthwhile for the current owner/landlord to enter into this arrangement. The two parties agree on that premium that the renter pays, for the ‘privilege’ of locking-in the property and deferring the closing to that years-later date.They are making assumptions that- the bottom won’t drop out of the market, putting the price under water compare to what the rent-to-buyer is contracted to pay, but also that- the market won’t become sizzling-hot so that the seller misses out on huge capital gains.The two parties agree to a payment schedule, and agree how much of it is principle and how much is interest (much like a mortgage repayment agreement).The two parties agree to performance and penalties for failure to perform. For example, they might agree that a prospective home-owner must learn to manage their property, so the renter/future owner is responsible for keeping the property in good order (lawn, hedges, snow-clearance, keeping furnace vents, dryer vents and lint-traps clear, adhering to municipal rules about trash pickup and the kinds of vehicles that can be parked in driveways, or on lawns, abidance by noise ordinances, refraining from commercial or illegal use of the property, etc). They also agree on notification and escalation protocols when somebody has an issue - no surprises.The two parties agree to the ways in which one or both can exit the agreement, and what penalties or adjustments might apply. For example, there might be provisions for the owner/landlord to sell the property to someone else, with certain compensations for the contracted renter/purchaser who is losing out on the sale. (Maybe the valuation went up drastically - some predetermined threshold - and the contract allows the landlord/seller to opt out of the contract by splitting the price increment evenly with the renter/prospective-owner… so if the valuation jumped 100K, the two parties would each get 50K of that jump.) Or there might be provisions under which the contracted renter/purchaser can walk away, such as the appraised value of the property falling below some agreed cut-off value/percentage.They sign, and the owner hands over the key. The renter makes the first payment and moves in.The payment is approximately the rent they would pay on an equivalent property, plus a premium that makes it rent-to-own (or lease-to-own if the jurisdiction makes a distinction).The general arrangement is that the renter pays on schedule, treats the property like a good owner would, and at the agreed-upon date, if nobody has defaulted or invoked special exit terms, the tenant is considered to have made a down-payment (with an agreed percentage of the monies they’ve paid being put toward the purchase price) and they have established sufficiently good credit that they can get a mortgage. The mortgage could be with a bank or other standard lender, or could be with the original property owner, or some other arrangement.The renter has become intimately familiar with the property and with how to maintain it, and with any peculiarities. They just take over as owner, and the previous owner gets his/her price and some contractually agreed compensation for having carried the risk, tied up their capital for several years, and so on.What can go wrongFrom the renter’s side, if they default on a payment, the owner/landlord can invoke termination and eviction, and the tenant is out. The tenant has paid above-market rent for however long they lived there, and the difference is lost. That’s strong incentive not to default.From the renter’s side, if they get to the agreed date, having kept to the payment schedule, and also performed such maintenance and other tasks as agreed, but have not rehabilitated their credit score, then they cannot fulfill the final requirement, which is to qualify for a mortgage. If the contract is properly worded, the owner/landlord should have the option to kick out the renter, keeping all monies, and try again with another client, or just sell, or just rent at whatever the current market rent is for that kind of property in that location.In both those situations, the renter/prospective-owner has paid more than market rent throughout their occupancy, and that money - that would have been credited toward the purchase price - is instead forfeited.Because the arrangement does not fall under the normal landlord-tenant scheme, the usual rules do not apply, and the owner is not required to give them multiple chances and adhere to rigid, bureaucratic timetables. The owner invokes termination-for-cause, and the renter/former-prospective-owner is out the door on whatever timeframe is specified in the contract.From the owner-landlord’s side, the renter/prospective-owner could do stupid or nasty/vindictive things, like turning the place into a grow-op or meth lab, or worse — putting the unit on Air-BnB… and then skipping town. Or they could do other things that reduce the value of the property, tie it up in law-enforcement limbo for extended periods, or other bad stuff that eats into, or destroys the return-on-investment. Maybe there could be a counter-incentive built into the contract - if you default or otherwise want to exit without executing the purchase, then you still forfeit what you paid in, but you get a bonus back for leaving the unit in good shape… not enough to make it painless to skip out, but enough to take away some of the sting. Of course, such things would be pro-rated if they were considered at all; you don’t get a bonus for leaving the unit in good shape if you decided to bow out after only two months into a 5-year contract.WHAT IF YOU HAVE SKILLSPerhaps you are skilled in the construction trades, and you could make some improvements to the property, over and above regular maintenance and upkeep. Well then, the contract should specify how the value of those improvements is to be determined, and how that value-add is treated. If you do good work… that is formally blessed by the owner/landlord before you commence, then you should be rewarded for it. If you do bad work that lowers the value or needs expensive re-do by third parties, then you should be penalized… and the contract should reflect and direct what happens in such situations.So, both sides should have their own lawyers to vet the contract. Ideally, the arrangement should work out well for both parties. There should be no reasonably foreseeable situation where anybody is unsure how to handle it. Nor should there be any situation where anybody feels they got screwed.Get receipts for everything.Keep all receipts.Verbal agreements are worth the paper they are printed on - get everything in writing.Read and understand anything that you sign, or pay somebody to understand it on your behalf.Good luck… but make your own luck.