By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government headed by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, which has just completed two years of its tenure, has taken big strides on the development front.
The most significant achievement has been the success in erasing the perception of the LDF Government being investor-hostile, earning praise even from its trenchant critics and detractors. The lavish praise coming from the Vice-President of India and the Prime Minister himself show the tremendous achievements the state has made.
Addressing a public meeting marking the completion of two years of the LDF Government, the Chief Minister said his Government has made big strides in health, education and other sectors. The past seven years have witnessed all-round development. What is creditable is that these gains were made despite disasters such as unprecedented floods, cyclone Ockhi, and Nipah and Covid-19 outbreaks. While the LDF Government came to power in 2016, Rs 1,473.67 crore in welfare pension payments was pending.
The Government not only released the payments but also raised the pension amount, and has over the last seven years distributed Rs 18,997 crore to the beneficiaries. Many major projects like the National Highway expansion, the GAIL pipeline projects and the Edamon-Kochi power highway projects had almost been abandoned during the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government’s tenure. All these have become a resounding reality under the LDF. The 12 per cent unemployment rate when the LDF Government took charge has now come down to 5 per cent, Pinarayi pointed out.
A major thrust of the Opposition propaganda was that the LDF Government is investor-unfriendly. That perception has been buried fathoms deep, the CM said. In support of his claim, the Chief Minister said big companies like Nissan, Airbus, Tech Mahindra, Tata Elxsi and Safron have started operations in the State, the Chief Minister pointed out.
The gains on the economic front have been impressive. Despite the heavy odds, the Kerala economy has registered a strong recovery in 2021-22 with the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) posting a 12.01 per cent. What is remarkable is that this has come after a negative 8.43 per cent during the pandemic-plagued 20220-21. Topping the list of achievements has been the Kerala Government’s prestigious flagship project Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON). The scheme aims to provide internet connection to 20 lakh Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the State.
Likewise, the Government has made impressive strides in the field of education. The accent in school education has been on improving school infrastructure. Enrolment has recorded a big rise. The total number of new students who sought admission in Government and aided schools for the last five years is 8,26,929. The significant aspect of this feat is the erasing of the perception that government schools are qualitatively poor. Positive steps have also been taken on development of inclusive education, free uniform, mid-day meals, financial assistance for meeting expenses towards travelling, hostel facilities and excursion of students are also provided to promote them.
As for Public health care, the focus has been on providing accessible, equitable, affordable and quality health care services for all. As for health indicators, Kerala is at the top of the table. Kerala is the only bigger state with single digit infant mortality rate (IMR) of 6, whereas it is 28 at the all India level. The State has the lowest MMR (19) among the states while the MMR at national level is 97. Life expectancy at birth in the state is 75 and is higher than the national level (70). Under the Aardram Mission Programme, Kerala has made good progress. In fact, Kerala is the only State where the database of 2,59,55,975 people has been collected and stored as electronic records. This includes 68, 34, 845 houses, 1, 26, 83, 841 males and 1,32,71,318 females and 816 transgenders.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties have launched protest marches and demonstrations laying siege to the Secretariat in the State capital on the second anniversary of the LDF Government. The demonstrations were against what the Opposition called “the corruption-ridden Government”. The protest saw the release of a “chargesheet” listing the alleged failures of the Government.
However, the campaign has proved to be a damp squib. The reasons are evident: the Government’s achievements have been far too many. And the anti-corruption drive has failed to have any impact because the opposition has not been able to come up with any clinching evidence of corruption.
Just one instance would illustrate the point. The Opposition had accused the Government of indulging in corruption in the artificial intelligence-powered (AI) camera traffic surveillance scheme. The CM said the contracts are being awarded to the lowest bidder through transparent tender processes, while the UDF Government never invited a tender!
The malicious and baseless propaganda being made by the Opposition has forced SRIT India Pvt Ltd, which implements the AI camera project, to send legal notices to opposition leaders Ramesh Chennithala and leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan. The company has accused the two leaders of tarnishing their reputation by making false allegations of corruption and wrongdoing. The SRIT CEO Madhu Nambiar praised the LDF Government for the smooth work atmosphere in Kerala. He said they had been warned of labour and trade union problems. “But we faced no such problems,” he added. The Chief Minister had a dig at the previous UDF Government, saying that investors no more have to give commissions to start a project in the State!
CPI(M)state secretary M V Govindan also demolished the allegations of Rs 100 crore corruption in the AI camera project. He said administrative sanction for Rs 232 crore was given for the entire project. Of this Rs 142 crore was spent for installing cameras. Rs 56.24 crore is the amount to be given to SRIT as performance cost for five years, and Rs 35. 76 crore is GST. “Where does Rs 100 crore corruption figure in this,” asked Govindan.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attributed the opposition’s agitation to its failure to unseat the LDF Government. The people gave a resounding victory to the LDF in the 2021 elections rejecting the opposition charges with the contempt they deserved. Pinarayi hit the nail on the head when he said Kerala has become an island of hope in an ocean of overpowering tendencies of dictatorship and national atmosphere of growing communalism and hate. “Kerala will not compromise on values of secularism and democracy and will oppose the anti-people moves of communalism by introducing alternate programmes,” said the CM. (IPA Service)
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