KOCHI: The Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) mainly aims at timely reform of existing administrative system, ARC chairman V S Achuthanandan MLA said on Thursday. He was speaking at the public hearing of the Kerala ARC at Ernakulam Town Hall. The major objective of the hearing was to gather the public opinion on various welfare programmes initiated by the state government for migrant labourers and senior citizens.
“The government should take steps to implement the reforms recommended by ARC after hearing the public opinion. Service from the government is the right of every citizen. If they are prevented from availing the privileges, it will be denial of justice,” the CPM veteran said.
“When the system closes its eyes to equality, a section of society will get sidelined. The government will always try to bring those sidelined, like Dalits, poor people, women, children, people from transgender community, physically challenged persons and tribes, to the mainstream via various plans. If the benefits of welfare schemes mooted for them are not reaching them, we should find why. ARC will also look into finding out more welfare schemes that are required,” he said. Achuthanandan said initially, six categories – women, senior citizens, people from transgender community, mentally challenged, children and migrant workers – were selected for assessing the results of welfare schemes.
"On the basis of the study, we will submit the recommendations and assessments to the government. The standard of living of migrant workers is sad. Their issues and grievances should be brought before society. We are also looking into the prospects of coming up with more programmes for senior citizens to utilise their experience in various social movements,” he said.
'Reports are baseless'
A senior member of the state ARC said news reports which appeared in a Malayalam daily saying lakhs of rupees were being spent on ARC members and its chairman are baseless. The spokesperson said the ARC, which came into existence in August, 2016, is only spending the funds needed for its basic necessities and effective functioning.
“The vehicle of the Tourism Department is being used for travelling for sitting and hearing. The request for own vehicle for ARC was made so as to discharge its duties more effectively. The Finance Department and government have already approved the request,” said the spokesperson.