Thiruvananthapuram: A report reveals that, in the history of Kerala’s government, the Chief Minister’s relief fund received the highest amount of money during the initial tenure of the Pinarayi administration. However, this big amount was diverted and expended within the same period. The government collected a total of 5744.89 crores during the two floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The relief fund was collected through various means, including campaigns, coercion and with direct contributions from the public. A total of 3,096.33 crores was collected in this manner during the floods of 2018 and 2019. 1229.89 crores were received through salary challenges. However, the government did not allocate this entire amount towards relief work.
The running cost of Supplyco, which the government has to bear, as well as the cooperative department’s housing project, were all accounted for in the records of the relief fund. The Punargeham rehabilitation project to be implemented by the fisheries department, the aid projects to be provided by the industries department to the small businessmen, and the textbook printing of the education department were done with the money from the Chief Minister’s relief fund. Despite the CPI(M) emphasizing that the Pinarayi government has been the most supportive from the relief fund, reports indicate that the government diverted the relief funds for various other expenditures.
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