Thiruvananthapuram, Congress-led UDF on Thursday criticized the ruling Left government for allegedly not providing timely funds to local bodies in the state for development activities.
The opposition allegation was made in a motion by UDF MLAs, including T Siddique, seeking adjournment of the House to discuss the problems faced by local bodies due to lack of funds.
The UDF's allegations on the issue were denied by Minister of State for the Department of Local Self-Government MB Rajesh, who said that the Center and its financial constraints in Kerala were responsible for the problems of the local bodies.
He said the opposition was deliberately ignoring the Centre's role in the matter due to the UDF's narrow-minded politics.
The minister said the state government was doing what was necessary to ensure that local bodies received funds on time and rejected the opposition's demand to join the adjoining House.
In view of the explanation given by the minister, Speaker A. N. Shamseer denied permission for the House to be adjourned.
Following the denial of permission for the motion, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said that decentralization has failed in Kerala and regional development has been adversely affected due to financial mismanagement of the Left government.
Satheesan also maintained that the state government's claims that the Center owed more than Rs 57,000 crore were based on falsehoods and incorrect figures.
"We will not support their (Left) claims based on falsehoods and wrong figures. Find someone else for that. They are trying to mislead the public with such false claims. We will only support their real and correct demands for funds from the Centre," he said.
Satheesan also alleged that just as the Narendra Modi government has no plan, the Left administration in Kerala also had no spending plans and hence had no priorities.
"Their (left-wing government's) poor financial management is suffocating and suffocating local bodies," he alleged.
The opposition leader said he and his party colleagues organized a strike to protest against the state government's stand of hampering regional development and "stifling" local bodies. Similarly, other UDF allies also staged a strike.
Earlier, during the discussions, Siddique alleged that the state government was not clearing the bills of local bodies and was not providing them with funds on time for development activities.
Rajesh denied his allegations and said that the opposition's allegations were based on half-truths, were baseless and did not take into consideration the measures taken by the government.
He said that the Center not only cut several funds and allocations to the state government, but several local bodies were also denied various grants without any reason. "Therefore, there is no reason to suspend the House session to discuss the issue. The State is doing what is necessary," the minister said.
The opposition allegation was made in a motion by UDF MLAs, including T Siddique, seeking adjournment of the House to discuss the problems faced by local bodies due to lack of funds.
The UDF's allegations on the issue were denied by Minister of State for the Department of Local Self-Government MB Rajesh, who said that the Center and its financial constraints in Kerala were responsible for the problems of the local bodies.
He said the opposition was deliberately ignoring the Centre's role in the matter due to the UDF's narrow-minded politics.
The minister said the state government was doing what was necessary to ensure that local bodies received funds on time and rejected the opposition's demand to join the adjoining House.
In view of the explanation given by the minister, Speaker A. N. Shamseer denied permission for the House to be adjourned.
Following the denial of permission for the motion, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said that decentralization has failed in Kerala and regional development has been adversely affected due to financial mismanagement of the Left government.
Satheesan also maintained that the state government's claims that the Center owed more than Rs 57,000 crore were based on falsehoods and incorrect figures.
"We will not support their (Left) claims based on falsehoods and wrong figures. Find someone else for that. They are trying to mislead the public with such false claims. We will only support their real and correct demands for funds from the Centre," he said.
Satheesan also alleged that just as the Narendra Modi government has no plan, the Left administration in Kerala also had no spending plans and hence had no priorities.
"Their (left-wing government's) poor financial management is suffocating and suffocating local bodies," he alleged.
The opposition leader said he and his party colleagues organized a strike to protest against the state government's stand of hampering regional development and "stifling" local bodies. Similarly, other UDF allies also staged a strike.
Earlier, during the discussions, Siddique alleged that the state government was not clearing the bills of local bodies and was not providing them with funds on time for development activities.
Rajesh denied his allegations and said that the opposition's allegations were based on half-truths, were baseless and did not take into consideration the measures taken by the government.
He said that the Center not only cut several funds and allocations to the state government, but several local bodies were also denied various grants without any reason. "Therefore, there is no reason to suspend the House session to discuss the issue. The State is doing what is necessary," the minister said.
