Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has termed the two years of the United Democratic Front (UDF) government as two years of betrayal of the people of Kerala.
In an article to mark the second anniversary of the UDF government, Mr. Achuthanandan said the UDF government had allowed prices to skyrocket, destroyed the farm sector, weakened the public sector, undermined the development and welfare programmes initiated by previous governments and surrendered the State to communal and caste forces. The government had not succeeded in coming up with any imaginative project for the State’s development. Nor could it secure the State’s due from the Centre, he said.
Mr. Achuthanandan said the State was going through a major power crisis when the UDF government celebrated its second year in office. The UDF dispensation had revised power tariff three times during its tenure. Prices of essentials were on a relentless upward spiral. Vigilance had registered four cases against the Food Minister within a year. With the marginalisation of Maveli stores, there was virtually no State control over prices.
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The crisis in the farm sector was even more serious.
The government owed farmers of Kuttanad alone Rs.100 crore. Lakhs of paddy growers in the State were in deep misery. The situation was no different in the case of coconut growers who were experiencing a sharp price slump.
The development sector too was facing a serious slowdown. The SmartCity project had not progressed beyond a few meetings in Dubai. The Vizhinjam International Seaport Project was remaining entangled in Central apathy. The UDF government could not even get the Central government to make a mention of the project in the Budget.
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Although the Kochi Metro project owed its genesis to E. Sreedharan, the UDF government’s attempt was to spirit him out. It gave up the attempt only because of a strong public outcry. The government’s inept handling of the project had resulted in two-year delay.
The Centre had sanctioned the Palakkad coach factory following strong pressure from the last LDF government. But the UDF government had whittled it down. Even the whittled down project was yet to take off.
There was not even talk about the wagon factory promised for Cherthala. While the Kannur airport project was moving at a snail’s pace, the Aranmula airport, being built reclaiming farmlands, was being pushed vigorously.
The introduction of participatory pension scheme has meant subversion of the statutory pension scheme. The ‘Emerging Kerala’ had proved to be a major waste of money and resources. Corruption was at its peak and land and resort mafia were having a field day. The government’s track record in checking atrocities on women and children was also despicable, he said.