Kozhikode: Local self-government minister K M Shaji has clarified that the UDF government has not taken any decision to disband the LIFE Mission housing scheme. Speaking to reporters in Malappuram, Shaji highlighted that many powers vested with grama sabhas in panchayats — envisioned as a true reflection of Gandhian gram swaraj — had been eroded over the past decade.
Restoration of Powers Does Not Mean Scrapping LIFE Mission
“When we say those powers will be restored, it does not mean the LIFE Mission will be scrapped. We have never said such a thing,” Shaji asserted. He emphasized that the new government is not aiming to dismantle projects launched by the previous dispensation.
Government as a Continuum
“Government is a continuum. When a new government comes to power, it cannot simply destroy projects implemented over five or 10 years and replace them with entirely new ones. That is not how governance works. However, we will move forward by correcting shortcomings wherever needed,” Shaji explained.
UDF Mandate and Approach
Shaji added that the UDF had highlighted certain issues related to the previous government before the people and secured their mandate on that basis. “We will have our own approach towards those matters. But there will be no move to demolish every project introduced by the previous government, rename them, and launch them afresh,” he said.
CPM Warns of Statewide Agitation
The CPM state secretariat had earlier warned of a statewide agitation if the government failed to backtrack from what it called a ‘politically motivated and anti-people’ decision to scrap the LIFE Mission. The party argued that scrapping the mission would shatter the dreams of hundreds of thousands of underprivileged families. The CPM noted that the LIFE Mission has delivered over 500,000 homes across Kerala, and currently, more than 100,000 houses are in various stages of construction.
