LIFE Mission: Whom are you boycotting, CM Pinarayi Vijayan asks opposition

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and MP Shashi Tharoor for abstaining from the function to declare completion of 2 lakh houses under LIFE Mission on Saturday. "What is the point in calling ourselves social functionaries, if we can't come together for a function like this," the CM said.
"Was it their political decision to boycott this function? Whom are you boycotting, why this cruelty to poor people? The opposition leader keeps saying that they started construction of houses which were completed during LIFE Mission. There is a merit in that argument, we don't conceal it. The houses, which had been included under housing scheme since 2001 but could not be finished, were completed under LIFE Mission. UDF ruled for 10 years during this period. We didn't look for who ruled between 2001 and 2016, we just asked people whether they needed a house and we looked at ways to complete those houses which remained incomplete for years," Vijayan said while announcing the completion of 2 lakh houses under LIFE Mission.
He even offered UDF the credit but with a reminder. "If you want the credit, you can take it, but the beneficiaries should also give their consent. In the second and third phase more than 1 lakh houses were completed, how could UDF lay claim on that?" asked Vijayan.
He said that UDF has taken an indifferent stand towards Loka Kerala Sabha, ASCEND meet and Rebuild Kerala. As regarding share of the central scheme PMAY, the CM said that most of the fund required for construction of houses in LIFE Mission came from the state. He also said that a new list of homeless people, who could not be included in first three phases of the project, would soon be published.
LSG minister A C Moideen said that Kerala is inching closer to attaining the status of becoming the first state in the country with no homeless people. "LIFE Mission is not just about giving houses. During the gatherings of its beneficiaries, we were able to coordinate with 20 departments to cater to basic services of LIFE Mission beneficiaries," said Moideen.
Minister for cooperation Kadakampally Surendran said LIFE Mission represents the comprehensive perception of development being envisaged by the state.
KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said the LDF government, which is in a celebratory mode now, could not construct at least half of the houses the previous Oommen Chandy government had constructed.