THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre has not granted permission to the ministers to go abroad for mobilising funds for the Rebuild Kerala initiative. Highly-placed sources in the government said the permission was not likely to come on Wednesday either.
Only Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been granted permission - to visit the UAE from Tuesday to Sunday - so far. Sixteen ministers were planning to visit 15 countries over the next few days to meet the Malayali diaspora for drumming up funds for the post-flood rebuilding of the state. Uncertainty had prevailed during the past few days over the travel plans as the Central nod was not forthcoming, despite the government being in constant contact with the External Affairs Ministry.
Several of the ministers were planning to leave on Wednesday and Thursday and others by Friday and Saturday. Speaking to Express on Tuesday evening, Industries Minister E P Jayarajan had said the state was hopeful of a positive reply from the Centre as the trip was aimed at resource mobilisation for rebuilding the state. But by 9.30 pm, the news broke the permission was being denied.
A senior bureaucrat who was part of official delegation said usually the Central nod for such trips were given in the eleventh hour. So, the state was still hopeful of getting a positive reply from the Centre, he said. Meanwhile, the proposed visit of 17 ministers, if permission is granted, along with the Chief Minister raised concern in the background of escalating tension over the Sabarimala issue. The Chief Minister’s Office has confirmed no communication regarding the ministers’ trip has come from the Centre till Tuesday late night.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the Chief Minister had said the Prime Minister had responded favourably when he met him in New Delhi. The requests for clearance for all the ministers were send together. Only the CM needs clearance from PMO while the ministers are cleared by the Ministry of External Affairs.