THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Listing out various initiatives of the LDF government in the last nine months, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday sought to maintain that there was no standstill in governance owing to the differences between IAS-IPS officials. The Opposition came down heavily on the government alleging that the infighting between the IAS-IPS officers had seriously hit governance as senior officers were not taking any decisions and that there was dip in plan fund spending. The Opposition also staged a walkout from the Assembly after Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan rejected an adjournment motion moved by Congress MLA V.D. Satheesan.
The chief minister said there was an attempt to tarnish the image of the government by creating a smokescreen that governance was at a standstill. “There are no serious differences between IAS-IPS officers. Minor differences of opinion have been settled after the government conveyed its stand. Officials have been given freedom to work,” he said. An inquiry was being conducted into reports that Vigilance director Jacob Thomas had published a notice at Vigilance headquarters stating that complaints against major corruption allegations would not be entertained.
The Vigilance has been given functional freedom. Officials with integrity would be supported by the government. The government could not prevent a petitioner from filing petitions, even as it seems that some are born to file petitions (referring to Paichira Navaz who lodged a series of petitions against IAS-IPS officers), he said. The government would abide by the recent High Court remarks and will also consider the report of Mohankumar commission on various reforms. During the last nine months of LDF rule, 18,000 files had reached the chief minister's office of which only 200 are pending now. Welfare pensions to 33.5 lakh persons were handed over.
NH widening works, land acquisition from LNG pipeline and Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airports were expedited. Steps for Sabarimala airport were initiated. About 30 senior officers are retiring from service this year and the government is gearing up to face this, he said. V.D. Satheesan, MLA, alleged that the chief minister was remaining as a mute spectator to the in-fighting among IAS-IPS officers. Senior officers were not taking any decisions, he said. There was not a single day without allegations against senior IAS-IPS officers. Petitions were even filed against the chief secretary. Officers were filing petitions against each other through agents, he said.
