The Hindu : Kerala News : Janasree mission is above board: Hassan

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Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008
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Janasree mission is above board: Hassan

Special Correspondent

Denies attempt to corner Central funds

Sees Isaac’s remarks politically motivated
Says Janasree’s focus different from Kudumbasree’s

Thiruvananthapuram: M.M. Hassan, senior Congress leader, has protested against the remarks of Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac against the Janasree Sustainable Development Mission.

At a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Hassan, who chairs the Janasree mission, alleged that the Minister’s remarks were politically motivated, coming as they did after repeated clarifications that the mission was not a competitor to the State government’s Kudumbasree project.

He said the Janasree project’s objectives and functional areas were different from that of the Kudumbasree project’s. It focussed on not only families below the poverty line but also those above the poverty line. The Kudumbasree project was aimed at empowerment of women and only women could be its members. Janasree’s membership was open to everyone. Apart from micro-finance, the project would focus on waste management, organic farming and other activities, linking its members to productive process.

Mr. Hassan alleged that the Minister’s statement that Janasree project had been formulated to corner Central funds was baseless. The mission was in its infancy and yet to fully enter micro- financing.

He challenged the Finance Minister to come up with evidence of any financial irregularities in its management. Since Dr. Isaac knew how Central funds were utilised, it was only fair that he should withdraw such remarks, Mr. Hassan said.

In reply to a question, Mr. Hassan clarified that Janasree was not an organisation of the Congress, though there were several Congress members among its promoters.

He said the local leaders of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) had floated self-help groups in many parts of the State on the lines of the Kudumbasree project. The CPI(M) had virtually hijacked the Kudumbasree project, limiting its benefits to party workers. He wanted to know why the Finance Minister was silent on the thousands of self-help groups formed by the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, Nair Service Society and Churches.

The Janasree project had 30,000 self-help groups with six-lakh members. Within a few months, it would achieve a target of 50,000 units and 10-lakh members, Mr. Hassan said.

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