THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan has requested the film personalities to stay away from Saturday’s programme to declare Kerala as the first extreme poverty- free state in India.
At a press conference on Friday, he cautioned the actors against the government’s hypocrisy. ‘Though achieving the status of an extreme poverty-free state is a prestigious moment, the LDF government’s claims are based on falsehood.
The claim that Kerala has become an extreme poverty-free state itself is a scam. In their manifesto in item number 215 it was stated that there are 4.5 lakh people who are in the extremely poor category. How could this number shrink to 64,000? What is the magic behind this?” he asked.
Satheesan also highlighted the answer given by Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil which stated that according to the norms fixed by the central government, there are 5,91,194 AIY ration card holders in the state. The government must clarify whether they are upgraded from that category.
According to experts, if so , the central government would reduce the central share of the ration supplying to the state. The government must also clarify how it prepared the list of 64,000 extremely poor. It should also explain the role of the State Planning Board and Statistical Department in preparing the number,” he demanded.