KOZHIKODE: K M Shaji, the local self-government minister, stated that the UDF government has not decided to abolish the LIFE Mission housing scheme. Shaji informed reporters in Malappuram that various powers assigned to grama sabhas in panchayats—seen as a true representation of Gandhian gram swaraj—have been curtailed over the last decade.
“Restoring these powers does not equate to dismantling the LIFE Mission. We have never suggested such an action,” he clarified.
Shaji emphasized that the new government does not intend to dismantle initiatives established by the previous administration. “Government is a continuum. When a new government takes office, it cannot simply discard projects implemented over the past five or ten years. That is not how governance functions. However, we will address shortcomings wherever necessary,” he stated.
He added that the UDF had brought specific issues regarding the prior government to the public’s attention, winning their mandate based on those concerns. “We will have our own approach to these matters, but we do not plan to demolish and rename every project initiated by the previous government,” Shaji remarked.
The CPM state secretariat has threatened statewide protests if the government does not reverse what it labels a ‘politically motivated and anti-people’ decision to eliminate the LIFE Mission. The party argued that abolishing the mission would thwart the aspirations of countless underprivileged families, pointing out that LIFE Mission has provided over 500,000 homes across Kerala, with more than 100,000 houses currently under construction.
