Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Government inefficient: KPCC

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday criticised Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac for painting a ‘bleak picture’ of Kerala’s economic situation in the context of the global meltdown.

In a resolution at its meeting here on Saturday, it alleged that Dr. Thomas was merely taking an “anticipatory bail” for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s failure to get the economy off the ground because of gross inefficiency.

The KPCC executive said the Finance Minister made such a statement contrary to the usual practice of giving the exact situation in the annual economic review. According to the KPCC’s evaluation, the economic review to be presented along with the State budget had details about the LDF government’s financial mismanagement, explaining for the Minister’s attempts to take “anticipatory bail.”

Disclosing the details of the resolution, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said the Prime Minister and the Union Finance Minister had made it clear that the financial meltdown was not going to affect India, with the growth rate projected to be 7.9 per cent. The inflation rate had come down to 8.9 per cent and India would be able to outlast the current economic woes. Dr. Isaac’s evaluation should be viewed in this context, he said.

The resolution said the actual fact was that the State government was not taking any concrete steps to improve the economic condition and create employment opportunities. The State had been saved from a treasury ban because the State government was not spending money on development activities, with only 26 per cent of the annual plan being spent last year. The record of the local self-governments was equally dismal with only 50 per cent of the plan target being achieved.

The KPCC resolution also criticised the LDF for its anti-Centre agitation. The Chief Minister had complimented the Centre for its liberal support a few months ago. The Centre had sanctioned 30 projects for the State with a total investment of Rs.40,000 crore without any political discrimination, not to mention the 12 institutions that were approved. The resolution claimed that the Wayanad farmers’ suicides could be arrested only because of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGP).

The LDF government, however, was in the dock for failing to utilise the funds under the programme for providing employment. Out of the Rs.260.80 crore under NREGP, only Rs.70.63 crores has been spent. As for the tsunami relief funds, the Rs.1,441.75-crore remained untouched. Even though the Centre had released Rs.2,650 crore for farmers’ debt relief, the State government had not come up with any assistance for the farmers.

The KPCC also came out against the deteriorating law and order problem. The police had failed to protect the life and property of the people. The involvement of policemen in recent theft cases was a serious trend. Anti-social elements and goons were having a free hand, the resolution said.

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