Kozhikode, Nov 11 (IANS) Former Kerala BJP chief K. Surendran on Tuesday accused the state government of denying citizens the benefits of major Central schemes by “failing” to release its share of funds.

Surendran said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship programme ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’, aimed at providing tap water to all households, has stalled in Kerala due to the State’s “inaction”.

“The Centre has already sanctioned Rs 7,600 crore, but the Kerala Government has not released its matching contribution,” he said.

He alleged that similar negligence has affected several other Central projects.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), which seeks to provide affordable housing, has made little progress, while the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, intended to improve rural connectivity, has also been delayed.

Surendran said that even though the Centre had declared major Kerala cities as Smart Cities, issues such as waterlogging in Thiruvananthapuram remain unresolved.

“Under the AMRUT scheme, Kozhikode received substantial Central funds that helped modernise vegetable and fish markets. Kochi Corporation, too, was allotted crores for waste management. Yet, due to the State’s excessive political interference, the benefits of these schemes have not reached the people,” he said.

The BJP leader also criticised the government for “blocking” the Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana scheme, depriving lakhs of families of its benefits.

“Kerala is the only State where citizens are denied this coverage because the Left government wants to promote its own parallel project,” he alleged.

Surendran said this “failure” to cooperate with the Centre is symptomatic of a larger governance crisis.

“Several welfare and development schemes meant for ordinary citizens are either delayed or ignored. The NDA offers an alternative political model to overcome this stagnation,” he said, adding that the BJP’s mission is to realise the Prime Minister’s vision of a ‘Viksit Kerala’ – a truly developed State.

Surendran’s broadside on the Pinarayi Vijayan government comes a day after the two-phase local body polls were announced.

Kerala goes to the polls on December 9 and 11, and the counting is on December 13.

–IANS

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