Rebuild Kerala contract reeks of graft: Ramesh

Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has alleged corruption behind awarding of consultancy contract of Rebuild Kerala initiative to KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd. Rebuild Kerala initiative (RKI) is set to execute an agreement with KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd for project management support services (PMSS) on a payment contract of Rs 6.82 crores for a period of two years.
The then CEO, RKI, had explained the necessity to have a PMSS entity with the objective of providing technical, management and secretarial support to RKI and line departments involved in the high-level empowered committee meeting held in March 2019.
Ramesh said that the state government, which couldn’t even lay a stone for reconstruction of the state after 2018 floods, is awarding contract to KPMG with dubious intentions. “The contract is for 24 months which means government aims to grab commission through awarding of consultancy. After 24 months the next government will have to give details of projects to KPMG for RKI. Opposition had earlier raised doubts when consultancy agreement was given to KPMG soon after the 2018 floods,” he said.
The doubts raised by opposition turned true as KPMG dropped the work after six months and it was a reason why RKI was derailed, he said. Ramesh added that the renovation of village offices and local roads could not be begun even after two years. “It is condemnable on the part of the government to indulge in such splurge, especially when the government wails about lack of funds,” he said
Meanwhile, responding to allegations of corruption, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that there was no irregularity in the contract. The selection was done through close scrutiny, he said.