KT Exclusive: Kerala to raise living standards to global level, says CM Pinarayi Vijayan

Dubai - Kerala CM says the state had drawn up a concrete plan to ensure returning NRKs' rehabilitation and welfare.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who swept back into power for a record second term just recently, said his new government would “not leave any stone unturned” in its mission to repay non-resident Keralites for their inestimable contributions.

The veteran Communist Party leader, who led the Left Democratic Front to a landslide win on a rare pro-incumbency wave, described NRKs, whose remittances have been the backbone of the state’s economy, as an “integral part of our life and development”.

In an exclusive virtual interview with Khaleej Times, Vijayan said the state had drawn up a concrete plan to ensure returning NRKs' rehabilitation and welfare. “We share their agonies and also their dreams.”

The immediate priorities of Pinarayi team 2.0 include mitigating the sufferings of the Covid-hit people, poverty alleviation, raising Keralites’ living standard to global standards, generating two million jobs and enhancing the state’s appeal to investors as a destination of choice.

The following are excerpts from the interview in which the leader, who has dramatically transformed his persona from a party strongman to a popular administrator, shares his thoughts about the state’s development goals and his aspirations for the welfare of its 35 million people.

Excerpts from the interview:

Taking charge as chief minister for an unprecedented second consecutive term, what are your government's immediate priorities?

As you are aware, there is tremendous distress on account of the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic fallouts. Our immediate goal is to mitigate the sufferings of Covid-hit people. Various measures have been taken to restore normalcy. The pandemic has affected all sectors and we are taking appropriate steps to ensure that people are not left high and dry.

We have also drawn up an action plan on the basis of a 50-point programme and our election manifesto. The government is committed to giving solace and relief to the people during the pandemic as well as plan ahead to ensure that Kerala achieves the living standards on par with that of the developed countries in 25 years. Specific committees have been formed with key officials to ensure implementation of various programmes that have been drawn up.

Apart from poverty alleviation, a separate committee has been constituted under the chief secretary to formulate a scheme that will ease the workload of homemakers (housewives) through a ‘Smart Kitchen Project’ and also protect the women engaged in domestic work. Generating employment for two million educated persons is another task we have taken up on ourselves.

How do you envision the next round of economic growth in these difficult times while grappling with the challenges posed by the repatriation of tens of thousands of NRKs, a huge debt pile-up and slow growth?

It’s true that our state has been badly hit by calamities and pandemics. One of our major concerns is the return of NRKs, but we have drawn up a concrete plan to ensure their welfare.

Pravasis are an integral part of our life and development. We share their agonies and also dreams. The pandemic has prompted the rerun of thousands of pravasis but the LDF government has adopted various measures to mitigate their sufferings and also their rehabilitation. Our aim is to use NRKs' knowledge, wealth, wisdom and experience to the benefit of the state. Also to ensure a decent livelihood to the pravasis and their families.

Last year, the LDF government implemented various schemes and services, amounting to more than Rs1.4 billion, an all-time high since the formation of the Norka (Non-Resident Keralites Affairs) Department in 1996. We have announced many measures as part of our new manifesto.  Let me assure you, the government would take necessary steps to ensure that pravasis are repaid for their tremendous contribution to the development of our state.

In your first term, you have been quite proactive on NRK issues and made several commitments. Taking stock, how far have you succeeded in delivering those?

We have been requesting the Central Government to cooperate with us to provide necessary programmes and schemes to help the returnees. The resources of the state are limited. But we will not leave any stone unturned in order to help the NRKs. There are many welfare and service measures that we have initiated which includes financial assistance, medical assistance, loans for ventures, facilitation for new employment, etc. Rehabilitation, reintegration and resettlement are cardinal to our policy.

Your vision of a New Kerala remains a task unfinished. How do you plan to achieve this goal?

I would say that a strong beginning has been made. There was an impression that nothing happens in Kerala. This situation has changed completely. Major infrastructure projects held up for decades have been completed or are in the works. The GAIL Pipeline and Edamon-Kochi Power Highway are some of the projects which were revived and completed.

Semi-high speed railways, inland water way and water metro, along with the national highways development, will give much fillip to the investment scenario. We also have an ambitious plan to invigorate the higher education system so that students who pass out are employable.

Linking educational institutions with the industry is another goal. The overall environment in the state is suited for major improvements. As I said, Kerala should achieve the living standard of developed nations and our policies and programmes are aimed at achieving this goal.

Why did you decide to keep the portfolio of minorities’ welfare to yourself? There are allegations that it was meant to appease the Christian community.

The interpretations are wrong. We consider every department important. The government believes in being fair to everyone.

Aided schools have been a vexed problem for the state.  Why are both LDF and UDF governments scared to "nationalise" them? The government pays salaries while the managements keeps the appointment rights, making millions out of the business.

Both government and aided schools have contributed much to the education sector. We don’t intend to disrupt the scheme. However, the government is focusing on a mission to revitalise public schooling. So many students have shifted from private institutions to government schools. The smart school concept has paved the way for modernising the facilities. During the pandemic, online digital classes helped our students to adhere to the syllabus schedule. There has been encouraging support from the civil society to get electronic and digital devices to those students who didn’t have it. I can very well say that schooling in our state is a model to our country.

V.D. Satheesan, representing a new generation in the Congress, has been appointed opposition leader in the state assembly. He has pledged a creative opposition, offering support to the good things your government would implement. Your comments.

I am glad that the opposition has understood the importance of rendering creative support to the government. When he took charge as the opposition leader, I greeted him and wished him the very best. Time and again, I have requested all parties to rise above partisan interests and be considerate to the larger interests of the state. Negative politics played by the opposition has been rejected by the people and I wish they see the writing on the wall.

K.K. Shailaja had risen to an indisputable stature with her tireless job as your health minister. Dropping her from your new cabinet has renewed the common belief that patriarchy runs deep in the CPM.