THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Friday termed Governor P Sathasivam’s address on the opening day of the budget session as highly disappointing and bereft of major announcements.
At a press conference, Chennithala said the the people of the state expected the Governor to announce a comprehensive rehabilitation package post floods. However that didn’t happen. Moreover, there was nothing new in the Governor’ address which everyone was waiting for with anticipation.
He said most projects referred to in the add-ress had been launched during previous UDF government’s tenure.
Chennithala accused the government of making Governor speak politics on the Sabarimala issue. The adamant stand of the state government had ruined the mandala makaravilakku pilgrim season causing a loss of over Rs 100 crore. He hoped the government will announce financial assistance to meet the Sabarimala loss in the budget speech on January 31.
The opposition leader accused the government of creating communal and caste divide in the state in the name of Sabarimala. He alleged that the government had failed in every front. After this government came to power only the close relatives of party leaders have got jobs.
He said six months after the floods only discussions were taking place. Barring never ending discussions, nothing is happening on the ground. The work on most projects announced as part of rebuilding Kerala has not begun. Interest free loans promised for small traders and shopkeepers have not been granted. The new announcement of giving a job to a person in each tribal family sounds hollow, he added.
Chennithala alleged that the four mega missions’ have reached nowhere. The agriculture sector which was devastated in the floods has been completely ignored in Governor’s address. Pravasi chitty has gone haywire.
Deputy opposition leader M.K. Muneer said many of the projects of which 90 per cent work had been completed during previous UDF regime, are now being showcased as LDF’s achievements. There are no instances of projects envisaged, implemented and completed during Pinar-ayi government's period.
