In an apparent show of favouritism towards an organisation named after the father of Local Self-Government Minister M K Muneer, the Local Self-Government Department (LSG) has issued permissive sanction to all the local bodies across the state to donate up to Rs 3 lakh to the C H Mohammed Koya Memorial Charitable Centre, Chalakuzhi Road, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram.
The LSG (FM) Department had issued the GO (ordinary) No 1536/2012 on June 5 in this regard. The GO says the it had issued an order on April 2 granting sanction to all local bodies in Thiruvananthapuram district to make contributions to the centre. As per the order, the grama panchayats can donate up to `1 lakh, block panchayats up to `2 lakh and the District Panchayat up to `3 lakh.
The municipalities have been permitted to donate up to `2 lakh. The Corporations can donate up to Rs 3 lakh as per the order.
The order further said that on the basis of a letter by the president of the centre to issue orders to permit all the local bodies across the state to donate as per their wish, the government had examined the matter and had decided to issue orders making it applicable to all local bodies across the state.
The order has been sent to LSG director, panchayat deputy directors, municipal deputy directors, Rural Development commissioners and other officers concerned. However, when contacted, C M Sherief, private secretary to the Minister, told ‘Express’ there was already a permissive sanction for local bodies across the state to contribute an amount not exceeding `3 lakh for charity purposes or common public good including festivals and fairs, provided there is a majority decision of an elected council of the local body.
‘’On the basis of a request of the C H Mohammed Koya Memorial Charitable Centre, local bodies have been allowed to sanction the amount if necessary,” he said. The efforts to contact Minister Muneer could not succeed as he was at a meeting.