The process of selection of beneficiaries for the various welfare initiatives as part of the city Corporation’s people’s plan project became a topic of discussion at a special meeting of the council here on Friday.
The special council was called following the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s demand for one claiming that the number of beneficiaries allowed to be selected from each ward for the various schemes is too less to accommodate all the deserving ones.
Mayor Arya Rajendran said the Corporation had never taken a decision to not increase the number of beneficiaries in any scheme. Since the civic body had increased the number of beneficiaries periodically for various projects, there was no need to make an announcement that it would increase this number. She said that often many of those chosen in the ward sabhas did not present the necessary documents at the Corporation, thus failing to draw the benefit.
Opening the discussions, BJP councillor M.R. Gopan listed out the number of beneficiaries allowed for various schemes from each ward. He said that only five beneficiaries were allowed in the general category from each ward for carrying out maintenance work in houses in dilapidated condition, while only two are allowed for the project to provide cots to senior citizens. He said that only one flat was under construction in the LIFE housing mission in the Corporation. Mr. Gopan also raised criticism regarding the fund utilisation as well as the budget announcements, many of which failed to see the light of the day.
Left Democratic Front (LDF) councillor Palayam Rajan said that the Corporation prepared plan projects based on clear guidelines, as it utilised the State government’s plan fund share and the Union government’s share based on the Finance Commission’s recommendations.
“We have 20 working groups for various sectors and so there is a limit to the funds available for each sector. This year, the plan fund share from the State government is ₹228.44 crore, but the Corporation is yet to receive ₹130 crore as its share from the 14th Finance Commission. No limits have been set for the number of beneficiaries for purchase of land for construction of houses or to provide cots for senior citizens. Those who did not get benefits this year will be considered in spillover projects next year,” said Mr. Rajan.
United Democratic Front councillor Padmakumar said that the number of beneficiaries for house maintenance should be increased. He alleged that the LIFE project figures were misleading, as many other projects were subsumed under it now. To the allegation regarding repetition of projects in the budget, LDF councillor Rakhi Ravikumar said that none of the BJP councillors had made suggestions for innovative projects in the working groups. LDF councillor Gayathri Babu presented figures to show that the city Corporation was one of the leading local bodies in projects in the production sector.
The meeting began with an uproar as the LDF councillors objected to the BJP councillors displaying the CPI(M) party symbol in a disrespectful manner, when they raised a protest against the rape and murder of a young girl in Idukki, who was allegedly raped by a man, who was associated with a left youth organisation.
