Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government’s bid to usurp credit for the State government’s LIFE Mission housing project by insisting that dwellings constructed under the scheme should display the logo of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Speaking to mediapersons in Kannur on Monday, Mr. Vijayan said the government was constitutionally bound to eradicate homelessness. Every citizen had a right to a home and LIFE Mission spearheaded the programme. Mr. Vijayan said the LDF recognised access to modern housing as a fundamental right of citizens.
Share of govts.
He said the Centre’s share in a ₹4 lakh home was ₹72,000. The State underwrote the rest of the amount. “The LIFE Mission is not a vehicle of advertisement for the Union government or the Prime Minister,” he said. Mr. Vijayan said attempts were afoot to sabotage the project without concern for the thousands of landless and homeless beneficiaries.
More houses delivered
“As part of the LIFE Mission project, it was planned to construct 71,861 houses this financial year. An agreement was entered into to build 1,41,257 houses, out of which 15,518 have already been completed”, he said. Mr. Vijayan said there were deliberate attempts to portray LIFE Mission as a mirage and a failed project. However, it has outdone itself by delivering more houses than the government promised within the deadline.
