THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has decided to conduct this year’s the state youth festival without celebrations this year due to flood calamities. The decision was taken by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, currently under treatment in the US after holding discussions with officials and cultural activists. The festival manual should be reformed for conducting the state youth festival without celebrations.

Officials informed the chief minister that if youth festival is not conducted students will lose an opportunity to obtain grace marks. The decision to conduct the youth festival without celebrations was taken following this. The public administration department under the chief minister had earlier issued an order which cancelled the state youth festival and International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) this year. This had led to controversy as the decision was not taken even without informing the ministers. Many including Minister A K Balan had come forward publicly against this. The chief minister took the matter into reconsideration after this.

Students and teachers were concerned after the government issued an order to cancel the youth festival earlier. The government had planned to cancel the state youth festival and distribute grace marks by conducting the festival till district level.