The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : `Nothing wrong with decentralisation exercise'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 09, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

`Nothing wrong with decentralisation exercise'

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Local Administration Kutty Ahmed Kutty has said he could find no fault with the manner in which the decentralisation exercise was set in motion (by the LDF Government) 10 years ago.

"The approach might have been an unorthodox one. But, I am convinced that it was the right one," he said here on Friday while inaugurating an international conference on `A decade of decentralisation in Kerala,' organised by the Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi.

He was apparently referring to the critics of the `People's Plan Campaign,' including top leaders of the Congress, who had come out with several allegations about the way the decentralisation exercise was conducted during the time of the previous Government.

Mr. Kutty Ahmed Kuttysaid that nothing had been gained by "sensationalising certain failures." Leader of the Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly A. R. Rather presided over the inaugural function.

Delegates from various parts of the country and also the academia from Cuba, Norway, Switzerland, South Africa, Bolivia, Bangladesh and Pakistan are attending the three-day meet.

Director of the Institute of Social Sciences George Mathew gave an introduction to the conference. Former Minister P. J. Joseph and economist M. A. Oommen spoke. The former president of Thykkattusserry grama panchayat in Alappuzha district K. C. Mohammed Kunju was honoured at the function for having served the people as the president of the panchayat continuously for 40 years.

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