Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday alleged that that the Centre government is financially strangulating the state government.

Inaugurating the state government’s public outreach programme’Nava Kerala Sadas’ at Govt. Higher Secondary School in Manjeshwar constituency’s Paivalige, Chief Minister Vijayan said the Centre government is trying destruct the state financially.

“ The Centre is financially  strangulating the state and thereby it is  scuttling the developmental  activities of the state. Centre is not allowing the government to run financially,”  CM Vijayan said

He said there has been a shortfall of more than Rs 57,000 crore in what is due from the Centre.  This is an example of how a state is being  viewed with hostility, he said

He criticised Congress –led UDF opposition  for boycotting Nava Kerala Sadas and termed the opposition’s act as anti-democratic in nature. Pinarayi Vijayan  alleged that a group of people against the LDF government are trying to hide the government’s  developmental activities from the public.

Taking a dig at the journalists over the luxury bus controversy, the CM Vijayan  asked them to visit the bus and find out the luxury arrangements inside it.

 He said that the Nava Kerala Sadas program is purely a government programme, but the UDF banned the Manjeswaram MLA from participating in the programme.

“ Enumerating his government’s achievements, Pinarayi Vijayan said   “Four lakh houses were constructed under the Life Mission project. We never add the government’s name to these houses, because it will hurt the sentiments of the families. We have distributed land documents to three  lakh people. 27.5 lakh people received free medical care.”

Nava Kerala Sadas,the LDF government’s month-long outreach programme, aims to regain the ruling coalition’s political image ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has decided to boycott the event, calling it an extravagant organised at a time when the state is facing acute financial crisis

Opposition leader VD Satheesan asked how an “extravagant” event like “Nava Kerala Sadas” could solve the problems of the poor at a time when there is financial crisis in the state. Rs 1.05 crore has been spent on the Benz bus to convert it into a caravan,  he alleged.

“Fifty two  lakh poor  people are  not getting welfare pension for  the last four months. They are struggling without money even to buy medicine. Will Nava Kerala Sadas solve their problems? All the farmers are in dire straits. PRS loan becomes a liability to the paddy farmers,” Satheesan said.

 “Nine lakh people are waiting to get a house under the LIFE scheme. Many people have demolished their huts and been on the highway for months in the hope of getting a house. Supplyco is on ventilator, which is supposed to be a relief  from price rise,” he added.

Senior Congress leader VM. Sudheeran alleged that Nava Kerala Sadas is a mega PR event. The ministers started PR work by emptying the secretariat, when there were 7.5 lakh files pending. There is no solution to people’s life problems, he said.

“The government’s focus is only on spreading liquor in Kerala. Drugs are also spreading. Including girls are getting addicted to drugs”, he alleged.