CPI(M) covering up massive corruption in LIFE Mission

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ( Feb 03 HS) : The much-publicised LIFE (Livelihood Inclusion and Financial Empowerment) Mission of the CPI(M)-led Kerala Government has become a millstone around the neck of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Following disclosures by the central agencies that kickbacks running to crores have changed hands as part of the Mission and the seizure of Rs one crore from the bank locker of Swapna Suresh, the kingpin of the gold smuggling scam,  the  Opposition Congress in Kerala came out on Wednesday with more charges against Vijayan for cheating the general public of the State  with false claims in the number of houses built under the LIFE Mission.

The Marxist government had promised people who do not own houses to build houses free of cost and to offer help for them to launch  enterprises  for their livelihood.

But the Mission has run into problems with reports about widespread irregularities and corruption which are being probed by CBI. Though the Kerala Government tried to get the CBI probe stayed by Court , the Kerala High Court gave green signal to the central agency to go ahead with the investigation.

K C Joseph, MLA and deputy leader of the Congress Legislature Party, who had been deputed by the party to take on the Pinarayi Vijayan Government on the LIFE Mission, alleged on Wednesday that the claims of the Kerala Government that they have completed the construction of 2.5 Lakh houses has been found to be a lie.

“The claim by the Kerala Government  that it  has built 2.5 lakh houses is far from reality. If what the Government says is  true, then each Panchayat in the State should have 250 houses built under LIFE Mission. My probe proves that there are not even 100 houses in any of the Panchayats,” said Joseph in a statement.

He said though the Congress has been asking in the Legislative Assembly the details of the houses built under LIFE Mission, the Chief Minister and other ministers were  evasive in their replies. “The only answer given by the Government in the assembly is that the details were being collected. If the houses have been built , why the Government is trying to be evasive when asked about the  details? The truth is that houses have not been constructed as claimed by the Vijayan government,” said Joseph , who was a minister in the Oommen Chandi government during 2006 to 2011.

The Congress leader said that the Oommen Chandi Government that ruled Kerala during 2006 to 2011  had built more than 4.55 lakh houses for those without a roof over their heads.

The LIFE Mission has become a millstone around the Kerala Government’s neck as the project launched with good intention is embroiled in corruption since the beginning. The contract for construction was awarded to a controversial firm while the enforcement directorate probing the gold smuggling scam seized Rs one crore from the bank locker  of Swapna Suresh, one of the kingpins in the scam. According to Swapna, the cash was kickback received from the construction firm and was meant for M Sivsankar, the then principal secretary to Pinarayi Vijayan.