Kannur (Kerala) [India] February 19 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday stated that Kerala remains the only state to have effectively implemented decentralised structures to distribute schemes to the people, with local bodies successfully delivering doorstep services and setting an exemplary standard in waste disposal.
"Our state has given great importance to decentralisation of power. Local bodies have been empowered by providing the most serious support. Mission 2031 discussions were held with the participation of prominent figures on how Kerala should be in 2031, when our state will complete 75 years of formation. In it, former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said that Kerala is the state that is effectively implementing decentralisation of power. This is something that the entire country accepts," Kerala CM said.
While speaking at the concluding session of the state Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations at the Mangattuparamba KAP Battalion Maidanani at Kannur, CM Vijayan highlighted how through various initatives have been improved upon including the K Smart application.
Discussing the decentralisation of local bodies, CM Vijayan highlighted that over the last five years, Rs 8,867 crore has been allocated to local bodies for road works alone, with an additional Rs 1,187 crore provided for the construction of Anganwadi buildings. Furthermore, the government has extended direct assistance for road renovations by integrating them into the CMLRRP (Chief Minister's Local Road Rebuild Project) scheme.
"Along with this, power has also been given to local bodies.In the last five years, Rs 8,867 crore has been made available to local bodies for road works alone. Rs 1,187 crore has been made available for the construction of Anganwadi buildings. In addition, the government has provided direct assistance for the renovation of roads by including them in the CMLRRP scheme. In its first phase, 4,912 projects were completed with an expenditure of Rs 980 crore. In the second phase, projects worth Rs 939 crore are being implemented. Our state is rapidly urbanising. All the areas from Manjeswaram to Parassala are becoming urban," he added.
Between 2011 to 2016, over Rs 29,500 crore have been given to local bodies across the state, with the amount increased to to Rs 53,000 crore from 2016 to 2021.
"Local bodies are providing doorstep services properly. Our state is exemplary in waste disposal. If we look at the 15-year figures, we can see how much support the state has given to local bodies. From 2011 to 2016, Rs 29,500 crore was given to local self-government bodies in Kerala. However, if we look at the figures from 2016 to 2021, it has increased to Rs 53,000 crore. Almost one-tenth of the amount has been given to local bodies. If we look at the figures from 2021 to now, we can see that more than Rs 70,000 crore has been given. This can be seen only in Kerala," CM Vijayan said.
During the event, Kerala CM said that through the K-Smart application, the number of files processed within just one hour of receiving an application has surpassed 1 million.
"The number of files processed within an hour of receiving an application through K-Smart, which was designed to provide services to local government institutions online, is over 1 million. The number of building permits issued within a minute is over 2 million. We are all participating in this year's Indigenous Peoples Day celebration with great pride, as we became free from extreme poverty on November 1," said Vijayan.
Additionally, the state government has established a Special Commission to formulate a comprehensive Urban Development Policy. Based on the commission's report, the Kerala government has decided to constitute Metropolitan Committees centred in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kozhikode to oversee strategic regional growth.
The state government has also taken up the task of preparing our state for the future, with a special commission formed to formulate an urban development policy, according to the CM. The report of the commission was submitted to the state government. Based on this, it was decided to form metropolitan committees centred in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. .