Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (file)
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged local bodies to remain vigilant against “unscrupulous elements” despite their “generally commendable work.”
He was speaking after inaugurating the State-level local body adalat that got under way with the Ernakulam district-level adalat on Friday (August 16, 2024). “Getting rid of such elements at the bureaucratic level will guarantee the progress of the State,” he said.
“Local bodies in Kerala are a model for the rest of the country,” he said.
Progress in poverty alleviation
Mr. Vijayan highlighted their significant progress in waste management and poverty alleviation, noting that around 40,000 families have been lifted from extreme poverty thanks to their efforts.
“Kerala is the least corrupt State. But officials in some local bodies interacting with the public should introspect whether their conduct is helping to sustain and strengthen that reputation. Officials should realise that their duty is to serve the people and not to make their life tough,” he said.
“The government is trying to ease the life of the people. Making available 900 services online was part of that. K-Smart, a digital platform for local self-government services, has helped to improve speedy service delivery. But a section of officials used to benefit from the delay in service delivery. Their attempt to undermine K-Smart will not succeed. They better change their ways,” he said.
“Problems in applications submitted by the people for various services should be pointed out immediately and action should be taken promptly on applications in order,” he stated.
Wayanad rehabilitation
Regarding the Wayanad landslides, Mr. Vijayan affirmed the government’s commitment to rehabilitating the victims and bringing them back to normal life.
“As per an initial assessment of an expert committee, the disaster site is not hospitable. Hence, a new location will have to be found for their rehabilitation, he said, while expressing hopes that the Central government would extend adequate support.
He also called for accurate climate alerts from national agencies and pointed out that the State is exploring its own mechanisms for disaster prevention.
Mr. Vijayan said a disaster similar as in Wayanad had happened at Vilangad in Kozhikode. “But a tragedy could be averted as people were evacuated thanks to local alerts and coordination,” he said.
The Chief Minister also emphasised the need for combining scientific study, coordination of various agencies, and local knowledge to prevent disasters in future.
Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh presided over the event. Industries Minister P. Rajeeve and Kochi Mayor M. Anilkumar were chief guests.
