Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac to recall decentralisation

Thiruvananthapuram: LDF government will revive the peoples plan programme which was launched in 1996 under the leadership of Dr Thomas Isaac. The finance minister has set aside Rs 10 crore in the budget for the Peoples Plan Cell to revive the programme. The cell had played pivotal role in implementing decentralised planning between 1996-2001.

Isaac recalled that the peoples plan programme had started a new era in decentralised planning process in the state. The programme had catapulted Kerala to the first position in decentralised planning and implementation in the country. However, the objectives laid down by the peoples plan programme in the beginning could not be achieved fully. Isaac said during the last five years the entire decentralised process had received a huge setback.

Local self government department was trifurcated, recommendations of finance commission were not adhered to, district planning councils became mere spectators, corruption in local bodies was widespread, favouritism and nepotism have taken over the selection process of beneficiaries at ward level. The entire decentralised planning has suffered setback after setback during this period. This calls for the need to revive the peoples plan programme to make the dream of decentralised planning and execution a dream.