Kanam Rajendran, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) State general secretary, has alleged that funds earmarked for poverty alleviation schemes have been diverted to other purposes.
He was speaking after inaugurating the State conference of the Kerala Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union (AITUC) here on Sunday.
The AITUC would lead a campaign to demand 10 cents of land and Rs.10 lakh for the poor and workers in the unorganised sector, he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“There is no proper division of wealth in the county. The number of billionaires in the country is increasing, while more people are struggling with poverty. The fund allotted for land, house, food, health and education for the poor has been diverted to other purposes,” Mr. Rajendran said.
He alleged that the government was neglecting its responsibility of providing quality health care for the poor.
He claimed that the fund for social welfare schemes also had been reduced and this would affect Anganawadi, ASHA and MGNREGS workers, and society in general.
ADVERTISEMENT
The government had no commitment to the commoner, Mr. Rajendran said.
The Zero Landless Programme - 2015, an initiative of the State Government to provide three cents of land to all landless in the State, to be inaugurated by Congress President and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday was an eyewash, he said. Title deeds will be distributed to 2.17 lakh people at the function.
People from Thiruvananthapuram had been allotted land in Kasaragod and those in Alappuzha were given land in Idukki. Such schemes ridiculed the poor. A sum of Rs.2 lakh allotted for constructing houses was insufficient, he claimed.
He urged the government to declare Anganwadi workers as government employees. The experienced among them had to be considered for the posts such as ICDS supervisors, he said.
AITUC leader Bulu Roy Chowdari presided over the meeting.