Thiruvananthapuram: The state government is gearing up to issue an ordinance to stop the destruction of private property in the name of hartal, bandh and communal violence.

The cabinet has decided to issue 'ordinance against destruction of private property 2019', said chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a press conference here.

Destroying private property under the pretense of hartal is equal to destroying public property. The ordinance also intends to initiate legal action to collect compensation from those who cause destruction. It is the government's intention to take strict action against the violators, said Pinarayi.

The chief minister welcomed the union government's move to promulgate 10% reservation for the economically backward among general category. He also urged that the implementation of the 10% reservation must to carried out without affecting the existing reservation. CPM had earlier demanded the same for the economically backward among general category in Kerala, added CM.

Meanwhile, minister for co-operation Kadakampally Surendran said that an amendment will be brought into the act that was approved to form the Kerala Bank. The new amendment will require only simple majority instead of the existing two third majority to merge district banks to form Kerala Bank, he added.