THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Stressing that it was the LDF government that made the national highway a reality, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the development of national highways is progressing across the state though some issues arose during the monsoon season affecting certain stretches under construction. He was speaking at the concluding session of the LDF government’s fourth-anniversary celebrations at Putharikandam Maithanam.
“The UDF and BJP tried to blame the state government for the issues related to national highway widening. The LDF government was able to make real what was once thought to be an impossible project, completing the stalled national highway work in Kerala. The government has no doubts about this achievement. The mishaps on the national highway were due to technical errors in the construction process. The NHAI will conduct a detailed investigation into the matter,” said the chief minister.
The chief minister said that isolated accidents or problems in a few spots do not mean the entire highway is failing. He questioned what would have happened if the UDF had been in power, saying that the state’s development would have taken a hit over the past nine years.
The chief minister also released the state government’s progress report at the event. The document assesses the implementation status of 900 promises made in the LDF election manifesto and also details several initiatives undertaken beyond the scope of the manifesto.
The report has been released in nine sections.“Since 2021, Kerala has been moving forward while surviving severe disruptions caused globally in the health, economic and employment sectors as a continuation of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to this, there are the challenges created by the financial restrictions imposed by the Central government. However, we are a society with the willpower to overcome even unprecedented natural disasters. That is why we are continuing to overcome these crises as well,” said the chief minister.
In his foreword to the report, the chief minister emphasised the government’s equal commitment to social welfare and inclusive development. Addressing the public meeting, he said the state had made considerable progress across all sectors. The chief minister arrived at the venue in an open jeep, greeting the crowd and said that the public participation in the anniversary events reflected the people’s acceptance of the state’s development and transformation.
He dismissed reports that the state is facing a financial crisis as baseless propaganda. He pointed to rapid growth in the IT sector. “In the past nine years, the state has achieved commendable progress. But there is a fake campaign going on that the state’s financial management is in trouble. Kerala has become a major hub for startups. The country’s first Digital Science Park is in Kerala and three more science parks are planned with a combined investment of Rs 200 crore,” said the chief minister.