Left govt orders vigilance probe into 'corruption' in Life Mission scheme

The Kerala government on Wednesday ordered a vigilance probe into the allegations raised by the Opposition parties over the "construction flaws and corruption" involved in the Wadakkanchery housing project under the state's Life Mission scheme for providing houses to the poor.

The Kerala government on Wednesday ordered a vigilance probe into the allegations raised by the Opposition parties over the "construction flaws and corruption" involved in the Wadakkanchery housing project under the state's Life Mission scheme for providing houses to the poor. The Opposition Congress and the BJP opposed the move and sought a CBI investigation.

The state government has ordered a preliminary probe into the allegations raised by the opposition parties, a senior official from the vigilance department told PTI. However, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the Left government's decisionfor a vigilance inquiry was not acceptable and sought a CBI probe.

"Vigilance probe is not acceptable.The vigilance cannot prove anything related to this matter.It's related to foreign entities.This matter has international ramification. CBI should probe the matter.Else the corruption behind life (project) cannot be brought out," Chennithala told reporters here.

Chennithala said the chief minister has failed to hand over a copy of the MoU signed between the Red Crescent and the state government. "The reply is pending.Protesting against this, I hereby resign from Life Mission Task Force special invitee post," Chennithala said.

He alleged that the commission involved in the case amounts to nearly Rs 9 crore in a Rs 20 crore project. Meanwhile, BJP state chief K Surendran, in a press release said, the move to order a vigilance probe is to derail the investigation by the central agencies.

"The vigilance investigation is a farce.The move is to derail the investigation by the central agencies," Surendran said. Chennithala had earlier alleged that Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling case, had admitted before the NIA court that she had received Rs 1 crore as commission towards the Life Mission scheme which is meant to provide housing for the poor.

He claimed that the details of the MoU of the project signed by the representatives of Life Mission and Red Crescent published by the media show that the government was actively involved in the selection of a contractor for the project, Unitac LLC. The opposition has been alleging that there was corruption involved in the selection of the contractor by the Red Crescent.

Red Crescent, an international humanitarian movement, had agreed to provide Rs 20 crore worth funds towards the Life Mission scheme. Earlier, Vijayan had dismissed the allegation that commission or bribe was paid in the Life Mission projects and said the woman would have had some contacts as she was with the UAE consulate and Red Crescent is a UAE-based organisation.

The state government had earlier clarified that the agreement was between it and the Red Crescent..