On May 18, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) completed four years in power in Kerala. Its Public Relations Department (PRD) came out with a four-page pullout in every leading newspaper with each of the 19 ministers elaborating on their achievements. The PRD started this campaign a fortnight preceding the anniversary and the bombardment with full-page ads continued even after a month.
The Left had been in power in Kerala several times in the past, but such indulgence in self-advertisement is unprecedented. Stepping into the election year, is this a sign of nervousness and is Left’s confidence ebbing?
The LDF, a coalition of seven political parties led by the Communist Party of India (CPI-M), was swept into power in the 2006 Assembly elections bagging 98 of the 140 seats in the Legislative Assembly. Veteran communist V S Achutanandan, who became a hero of the masses due to his interventions in crucial public issues as the Leader of the Opposition, lead electioneering from the front. He was sworn in as CM along with 19 ministers.
Revenue collection up
While assessing the performance of a government, comparison with the previous regime becomes inevitable. The governments in Kerala have always been cash-starved and bogged down by innumerable instances of empty treasuries that could not pay salaries and pensions, amounting to almost 90 percent of the state’s revenue.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) refused to allow overdrafts due to mounting debts. Old-age pensioners, agricultural labourers, widows, etc., used to be the first victims. Dearness allowance enhancements to the government employees were never paid in time. Naturally, maintenance and development of basic infrastructure was affected too. All these were true for not only the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) regime, but also for the earlier LDF government which was in power from 1997 to 2001.
But now, these issues have become a thing of the past and although the government coffers are not exactly overflowing with money, revenue collection has increased from Rs 9,783 crores in 2004-05 to Rs 23,198 crores in 2009-10. Welfare pension has been enhanced to Rs 300 from the previous Rs 120-200 and Rs 500 crores have been spent for debt relief schemes for farmers, fisherfolk, and others.
One of the first exploits of the new government was to bring succour to the farmers of Wayanad district. During the preceding five years, Wayanad was tormented with a maximum share of the 11,516 farmers suicide cases reported in the state and was declared ‘distress-affected’. Consequently, a ‘Debt Relief Commission’ was set up.
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