Thiruvananthapuram: The first Cabinet meeting presided over by Pinarayi Vijayan a year ago had given a head start to the LDF government rising to the expectations of people who had a given a decisive mandate.
The very first Cabinet meeting took the significant decision of setting up a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the brutal murder of a Dalit law student which had shook the conscience of the state ahead of Assembly polls. Other decisions including lifting the unofficial ban on recruitment brought cheer to the faces of unemployed youth while A K Balan sub committee to examine all controversial decisions taken by the UDF government had been widely welcomed. However, the committee has not yet submitted its report.
Despite the flying start, the government had its share of controversies during this period. Removal of T P Senkumar as state police chief who was reinstated following Supreme Court order, Maoist encounter in Nilambur, mishandling of Jishnu Prannoy case, Law Academy agitation, SSLC paper leak and the recent lasts hike in PG medical courses overshadowed its good work. The resignations of two minsters E P Jayarajan for alleged nepotism and A K Saseendran who was caught in sting operation carried out by a TV channel came as major embarrassment for the government.
Amid these controversies the government managed to take a series of ground breaking decisions for addressing the basic problems faced by the state. The four mega missions; Life,Ardram, Haritha Keralam and Education are aimed housing for homeless, affordable health for the poorest of the poor, waste management, ensuring toxic free vegetables and fruits, conservation of water resources, protection of water bodies and raising the standard of government and aided schools to international level.
The missions which are being implemented with people’s participation and on the lines of the Literacy Mission and Peoples Plan Campaign, are also aimed at presenting a new Kerala model of development before the country.
The chief minister believes that with the BJP led government at the Centre driving hard on neo liberal policies and divisive communal agenda, it is the primary responsibility of LDF to showcase a practical model which is inclusive, development oriented and secular.
The LDF government is hopeful of building on the past laurels achieved in socio, economic and health sectors and take the state to next level. On the social welfare sector too, the government succeeded in providing succour to the poorest of the poor raising the pension amount and ensuring that the money reached the doorsteps of beneficiaries. Similarly it achieved a first in announcing pension for transgender.
On the law and order front Kannur continues to remain a problem because of the sporadic killings. Though the chief minister for the first time took personal initiative and indicated the political will to bring CPM and RSS leaders across the table and even followed it up with meetings in Kannur, the recent murders in the district came as a temporary setback.
After the latest murder in Kannur, the chief minister and his party had declared categorically that stringent action would be taken against those involved in these incidents. Pinarayi is keen to take the peace process forward notwithstanding the occasional setbacks.
On the whole it’s been a mixed year for the government. With the four missions now taking off, the real challenge lies for the government will be to achieve the lofty goals set up in different sectors.
Clearly the government will have to take corrective measures learning from past mistakes, steer clear of unwanted controversies and focus on the development of the state and its people.
