ALAPPUZHA: Undermining CPM’s claims of having distributed essential commodities through Supplyco without hiking prices for nine years, key LDF ally, the CPI, which holds the food and civil supplies portfolio, has alleged that the measure has pushed the state government owned company into a debt trap.
The political report presented at the CPI state conference on Wednesday is unsparing in its criticism of the LDF government over what it terms lapses in governance, implementation of welfare schemes and financial management.
The decision to sell essential commodities without raising the prices from 2016 to May 2024 has placed a heavy financial burden on Supplyco, the report alleged. The government’s failure to pay the Rs 1,767.57 crore dues to the agency has further deepened the crisis, it said.
The report said several welfare boards have ceased to function due to lack of funds.
“The Debt Relief Commission too has come to a standstill because of the financial crunch. The government is not implementing key welfare schemes for farmers. Non-payment of procurement prices for paddy has placed farmers under severe distress,” it said.
On the traditional sectors, the report noted that welfare boards for workers remain largely ineffective. The toddy sector, in particular, has been sidelined. While the state is enthusiastic in promoting foreign liquor, it neglects toddy workers, who once played a major role in Kerala’s social transformation, it said.
Earlier, inaugurating the state conference, CPI general secretary D Raja said India is facing grave threats to its democratic fabric under the BJP-RSS regime. The right-wing forces are working aggressively to transform India into a theocratic fascist state by dismantling democratic institutions, he alleged.
Acknowledging challenges within the INDIA bloc, Raja called for greater unity among left parties. “We must strengthen communist unity and uphold values of morality to project ourselves as role models,” he said.
FEDERAL STRUCTURE UNDER THREAT: CM
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the federal structure envisioned in the Constitution is under threat, with concerted attempts being made to erode the powers of states. He was inaugurating a seminar on ‘The Future of Secularism and Federalism’, organised as part of the CPI state conference in Alappuzha.
“In states where the BJP is not in power, governors are being deployed as political instruments to weaken elected governments. The Union government is intruding into the domains of states and even pushing for the imposition of Hindi across the country,” he said.
“The states are being deprived of their rightful financial share and deliberately creating economic distress. Kerala’s own development model has been obstructed by the Centre. The share of taxes allotted to states has been slashed drastically.
Even revisions to the GST, which should have been decided by the GST Council, were imposed unilaterally by the Union government. The move will cost Kerala nearly Rs 10,000 crore annually,” he said. Pinarayi stressed the urgency of forging a broad political front to resist the agenda of the Sangh parivar.