PM SHRI: CPI(M) state secy admits 'lapse' in not discussing MoU in Cabinet, LDF
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Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan on Sunday admitted there was a "lapse" in not discussing the PM SHRI scheme in the state Cabinet or within the LDF before signing the memorandum with the Centre.
The state government had recently decided to freeze the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Centre under the Prime Minister's Schools for Rising India scheme, following criticism from the CPI, a key ally in the LDF.
Addressing reporters here, Govindan said, "Only one thing we admit—it is true that the Cabinet and the LDF did not discuss it and take a decision. It was a lapse. I have admitted it."
Govindan said he, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and the party’s national leaders had intervened to resolve the issue.
"I have been saying from the beginning that the LDF will discuss all matters, take a decision, and move forward together. That has now proved true," he said.
The CPI(M) leader said the party secretariat and state committee had met earlier in the day. "All preparations for the upcoming elections are complete. The LDF will make gains in all civic bodies in the upcoming polls," he said.
Govindan also hit out at Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan for calling the state government’s claim of eradicating extreme poverty "bogus."
He said the project to identify people living in extreme poverty had begun in 2021, when he was minister for Local Self-Governments.
"There are several civic bodies in Kerala governed by opposition parties. Can he say that those local bodies are making fake claims," Govindan asked.
He urged Satheesan to travel across the state to identify individuals still living in extreme poverty.
"If they find anyone, we will include them in our programme and work to improve their situation," he said.
Govindan said Kerala had achieved this milestone due to the efforts of successive governments since the state’s formation. "In 2021, only 0.5 per cent of the population was found to be living in extreme poverty. States with higher poverty levels may find it difficult to achieve such a feat," he added.
"We can confidently say that Kerala is the first state in the world to eradicate extreme poverty. The only other to do so is China," Govindan claimed.
He also highlighted various welfare measures recently announced by the government, which he said would benefit over one crore people, including women, youth, and senior citizens.
Without any central assistance, the state had increased the monthly welfare pension for 62 lakh beneficiaries from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000, he said.
"The election manifesto had promised to raise the monthly pension to Rs 2,500. If the Centre releases the Rs 2 lakh crore withheld from Kerala, we will even raise it to Rs 3,000. Whatever we have promised, we have delivered," he said.
Govindan added that the government plans to provide employment to one lakh people. "How can the Leader of the Opposition (V D Satheesan) acknowledge these achievements? That is why he walked out of the Assembly, calling it a fraud," he said.
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Salah-less Liverpool plays Inter in Champions League. Barcelona, Bayern, Chelsea all in action
London (AP): After leaving Mohamed Salah at home, Liverpool needs to show it can win without the Egyptian forward as Arne Slot's team takes on Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.
On a night when Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Tottenham are all in action, the focus is on Liverpool after Salah said Saturday it “seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.” Liverpool's response was to leave him out of the squad for its trip to Italy.
Liverpool's poor recent form boosts Inter's chances of picking up a fifth win in six games. A win for 13th-place Liverpool would put Slot's team back into the hunt for the top eight seedings for the knockout stages.
After losing its last Champions League game 3-0 to Chelsea, Barcelona aims to recover at home to struggling Eintracht Frankfurt. It will have to do without defender Ronald Araujo, who is suspended after his red card against Chelsea and has also been unavailable for personal reasons.
Seventh-place Chelsea is unbeaten in four Champions League games and visits Atalanta aiming to strengthen its hold on a top-eight spot offering direct entry to the round of 16. Bayern can earn its fifth win of the league stage by beating Sporting Lisbon in an early kickoff.
Tottenham, which lost 5-3 to Paris Saint-Germain last time out, has an easier task against Czech team Slavia Prague. Atletico Madrid visits PSV Eindhoven, Monaco hosts Galatasaray and Union Saint-Gilloise plays Marseille.
One game starts in an unusually early window at 1530 GMT (10:30 a.m. ET) as Kazakhstan's Kairat Almaty hosts Greece's Olympiacos.
