Kerala govt's LIFE mission runs into controversy
The government’s much publisized LIFE Mission project has run into a major controversy after the state-level empowered committee took a decision to award the tender for its pilot project at Perinthalmanna to an agency by violating the procedures of an open tender process specified by the central vigilance commission and the finance department. The move flouts a recent high court order as well. The pilot project to be launched in all 14 districts initially would at least run to more than Rs 75 crore. The mission aims at providing houses for homeless and landless. A file noting by chief secretary Paul Antony accessed by TOI shows that he recommended that the bid for constructing 48 apartments at Perinthalmanna at a cost of Rs 5.33 crore should be awarded to the Vadakara-based Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Ltd (ULCCS), though it was the only tender received in the open tender process.
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