THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: LSG Minister M B Rajesh on Wednesday accused the Centre of trying to sabotage Kerala government’s showpiece project, LIFE Mission. The Union government, which contributes a negligible 18% of the cost of houses built under the scheme, has denied the state even that meagre amount insisting that a logo promoting a central scheme be displayed on the houses, he said.
“The Centre is denying the state grants under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). It will release funds only if we display the PMAY logo on every house built. It’s unacceptable. Such schemes are the right of citizens, not government’s charity,” Rajesh told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. He said the Centre is chipping in with just 18% of the cost of a house.
Moreover, only 1.12 lakh of over 3.5 lakh beneficiaries have received this aid. The state government and LSGIs bear 82% of the cost. “Yet, the Centre wants to display its logo. The Kerala government has given aid to the tune of Rs 4 lakh to each beneficiary. The Centre is attempting to brand this as their initiative,” he alleged.
The state has already built 3,56,108 houses under LIFE Mission since its launch in 2016, Rajesh said. Another 1,25,739 houses are in various stages of completion. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, instead of being the voice of the people of Kerala in Delhi, is “engineering” the issue, he alleged.
The LSG minister alleged the Centre was imposing new conditions and restrictions on spending of funds to hamper development activities in the state. “Major curbs have been imposed on utilisation of grants. Of the funds allocated by the Finance Commission, 60% is tied grant which can be utilised only on the directions of the Commission. Now new restrictions have been put in place restricting the use of the remaining 40%. Many of these conditions are not conducive for Kerala,” he said.