Thiruvananthapuram: The entire Kerala cabinet led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan began its month-long journey on wheels as part of Nava Kerala Sadas, the ruling LDF government’s special outreach programme from Manjeshwaram in Kasargod district on Saturday.
The chief minister and his 20 cabinet colleagues will be travelling across the 14 districts for 36 days on the specially designed Benz luxury coach. During the Nava Kerala Sadas, the state government will present before the public its achievements in different sectors and the future development plan. The journey which began from Kasargod on Saturday will conclude at Vattiyoorkavu constituency in Thiruvananthapuram district on December 23.
Inaugurating the Nava Kerala Sadas at the government higher secondary school premises in Paivalike in Majeshwaram constituency, the chief minister spoke at length about his government's achievements in various sectors.
Vijayan came down heavily on the BJP led NDA government accusing it of depriving Kerala of the financial assistance that it deserved.
The state should have received a total of Rs 57,000 crore by way of GST compensation, revenue deficit grant, hike in borrowing limit and in other heads. However, the Centre has been ignoring the State’s demand.
Mass interaction programmes have been planned in each assembly constituency as part of Nava Kerala Sadas where freedom fighters, eminent personalities from various fields, elected office bearers of women, youth and student organisations, prominent people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities, artists, celebrities, award winners, Theyyam artists, leaders of community organizations, representatives of senior citizens, representatives of various organisations, representatives of places of worship will be the special invitees. Such programmes will be held at 9 am daily barring the days when the weekly Cabinet meeting is scheduled.
After the daily interaction programme, the Chief Minister and his ministers will attend gatherings in various constituencies. A system has been put in place in each venue where complaints would be received at the specially designed counters, three hours ahead of the start of the gatherings. These counters will remain operational till all complaints are received.
The guidelines regarding the submission of complaints would be displayed at these counters. There will be separate counters for senior citizens, differently-abled and women. A mechanism has been setup for the speedy disposal of complaints that are received at these counters.
A receipt will be issued for all complaints. The complainants would be informed by post as soon as their complaints are disposed of. Besides, the status of the complaints can also be tracked by logging into - www.navakeralasadas.kerala.gov.in. All one needs to do is enter the receipt number or the mobile number in the complaint.
The district-level officials will decide on complaints within two weeks and a maximum of four weeks if further procedure is required. The district officers will submit a report through the head of the department on the complaints that are to be decided at the state level. Such complaints will be resolved within 45 days. An interim reply will also be given to the applicant.
Organising committees have been constituted in each assembly constituency with elected representatives of the local bodies and officials of various departments.
Opposition criticises Nava Kerala Sadas accused government of splurge in times of financial crisis
Opposition leader V D Satheeshan slammed the chief minister and ministers for organising the bus trip at a time when the state was facing an acute financial crisis.
He listed out the alleged failures of the government; over 4 lakh people have not been paid social security pension dues for four months, paddy farmers are in crisis, Rs 250 support price for rubber farmers on papers, nine lakh homeless people awaiting homes under the Life Mission project, non-availability of essential commodities in Supplyco, subsidised products not available in Maveli stores.
Veteran Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that for the past seven years, the chief minister didn't find time to meet the people. Now he is travelling across the state in a bus. This is nothing but a political gimmick ahead of Lok Sabha polls.
“Pinarayi is a chief minister who rarely receives petitions from the common man and refrains from speaking to the media.They are running the election campaign using government money. Modi and Pinarayi are treading the same path. People will see through their game plan,” he added.
The Congress leadership reminded how the CPM while in opposition had opposed former chief minister late Oommen Chandy’s Mass Contact Programme (Janasamparka Paripadi) in 2011-16 period. The CPM had then accused Chandy of concentrating entire power in his hands and streamrolling the decentralised mechanism of governance.
Oommen Chandy had received international recognition for his mass contact programme which attracted thousands of people. The former chief minister used to hear the complaints of the people for 16 to 17 hours at a stretch standing on the stage.
The Left leaders criticised the mass contact programme advising the Congress to strengthen the service delivery mechanism and grievance redressal mechanism at different levels instead of holding such mega shows. “The chief minister is doing the job of a village officer,” mocked CPM leaders.
