THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rejecting the Centre's stance on displaying Prime Minister Narendra Modi's posters and banners at ration shops across Kerala, the state government said that the such directives were 'not right' and 'difficult to implement.'
On Monday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the legislative assembly that the state will reject the centre's direction to place Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photograph at ration shops.
In his reply to a query raised during the Question Hour of the House, the CM said the rationing system and ration shops were here for a long time.
"The Centre has mooted an unprecedented campaign programme. It is part of the campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha election," he said.
"Kerala will convey our dissent to the centre. We will inform the central government it is difficult for us to do it. Also, the government will examine whether the matter can be taken up with the election Commission," he added.
Earlier, the state had rejected a direction from the centre for a branding programme at houses constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The direction was to display the PMAY logo at the houses.
After rejecting the direction, CM told the reporters that housing was a basic human right and it was not right to use it as an advertisement for the Union government and the Prime Minister.
He also pointed out that the state government meets the bulk of the cost of houses under Life Mission, the free housing scheme of the government that combines different state and central schemes.
He cited that the central share under PMAY-G was Rs 72,000. Rs four lakh is given to a beneficiary under the Life Mission and the rest of the money is spent by the state government, he had said.