Thiruvananthapuram: ‘Rebuild Kerala’ to take 3 years

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan says the post-flood ‘rebuild Kerala’ process will take three years to complete.

Replying to an adjournment motion by V. D. Satheesan of the Congress in the assembly on Tuesday, he said it's not rescue and rehabilitation alone, but a long-term plan for a new and sustainable state.

Mr Satheeshan, who represents one of the most affected regions, North Paravur, said many of the families were still homeless and living with their relatives as refugees even after almost a year.

The government failed to provide them with interim shelter before rebuilding their homes, and at least 20 per cent of the flood victims are yet to receive the ‘immediate relief’ of Rs 10,000.

The Opposition members staged a walkout when Speaker P. Sreer-amakrishnan refused to take up the matter for discussion following the chief minister's reply accusing them of attempting to dismantle his resource mobilisation drive.

Referring to the controversial salary challenge, he also accused them of not uttering a word against the Centre when it sabotaged the attempts to mobilise money from foreign sources.

The Chief Minister also asked the opposition about the 1000 houses that the KPCC had promised to construct, to which Opposition leader Ram-esh Chennithala replied that 300 are under construction at the moment.

Mr Chennithala also reminded him that he and his colleagues had also participated in the salary challenge.

He said Mr Satheesan alone was in charge of 200 houses while Hibi Eden is making 100. Anvar Sadath and Roji George are also contributing to the KPCC project.

Mr  Satheesan questioned the chief minister on the money he had managed to get from his trip to the Gulf.

“You had claimed of a promise of Rs 300 crore,” he said.

Though at first, Mr Vijayan claimed that the money was coming in with NRKs even now contributing to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund, he later said the CMDRF received only Rs 54 crore from Gulf so far.

Mr Satheesan wondered if the Rebuild Kerala Initiative has turned into a white elephant with concentrating on furnishing its office alone.

He also suggested ‘snail’ as its logo as it was moving at such a slow pace.