Decentralised governance helped contain pandemic: CM

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that people's participation under the leadership of empowered local governments seems to be the most effective strategy to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

“Kerala has made pioneering strides in the decentralised form of governance. There is considerable community participation in the planning process. It has enriched the process of decentralisation of power. This strong participatory governance has helped Kerala in the containment measures related to the pandemic,” he said at the inaugural address of the ‘Kerala Dialogue,' a web series on development organised by the government on Friday.

Mr. Vijayan said the experience of the pandemic should act as a game-changer in assessing the role of the State. “A strong public sector in health and education is necessary for this decentralised model to work well. It has also made us rethink on the role of State intervention, especially in social sectors such as health. The public sector interventions in social and economic sectors cannot be treated as an avoidable evil,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that economic and social inequalities tend to make the problems of the pandemic crisis worse. “The crisis has disproportionately affected the marginalised and poor communities. We need to bring the focus back to the people,” he said.