The Kerala opposition on Tuesday slammed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his relief announcements regarding floods and said that he should get the "Oscar award for the best announcements".
Before leading the entire opposition out of the Kerala Assembly, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said that the 'Rebuild Kerala Initiative' (RKI) floated by the Pinarayi government soon after the worst ever floods in a century that hit Kerala in 2018 has not even started.
"Vijayan just now said it will take another three years for it to be completed. The tenure of this government will be over soon (May 2021). Vijayan should be given the Oscar for the best announcements, be it in the annual budgets, RKI or any programme. After the floods, even the first instalment of Rs 10,000 each to the affected is yet to be fully given. Now he says he will do a series of programmes. He has used the funds for RKI given by the World Bank for day-to-day running of the state," said Chennithala.
But Pinarayi said that things are moving according to plan and after the 2018 floods, the 2019 floods also took a heavy toll on the state and to some extent, pushed aside the programme of rehabilitation.
"Everything can't be done in one year. A total of Rs 4,765.27 crore was received in the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund through various sources, of which, Rs 2,630.68 crore have been utilised. 6.92 lakh families affected in the 2018 floods have been paid Rs 10,000 each while we are yet to receive anything for the 2019 floods. We have asked for Rs 2,150 crore," Vijayan said.
Indian Union Muslim League legislator PK Basheer sought to move an adjournment motion to discuss the delay in the RKI initiatives of the government.
"Whatever the CM is saying is his imagination, as nothing to the extent of what he announced has taken place under the RKI. Everything is on paper only and the promised payments to many are yet to come. There are cases, where many are yet to get their homes reconstructed and continue to live elsewhere. Things are bad in Malappuram district, which was affected in both the floods. We wish you will look into the lapses and rectify things," said Basheer.