Nava Kerala Sadas to kick off from Kasaragod on Saturday; CM, ministers to interact with public

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 17 (PTI) The Nava Kerala Sadas, an outreach programme led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues will commence from the state's northern district of Kasaragod on Saturday.

The initiative, spanning over a month, aims to showcase the state's future development plans and achievements to the public, an official release said here on Friday, adding that it will also systematically address complaints from the people.

The programme, which concludes on December 23 at Vattiyoorkavu constituency in the southern district of Thiruvananthapuram, involves the entire Council of Ministers engaging directly with the public.

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said that during their tour of 140 assembly constituencies, the ministers will interact with people from diverse backgrounds and address their concerns.

Despite allegations from the opposition Congress labeling it a political campaign, the CMO assured a swift resolution of public complaints.

The CMO said that designated counters would accept complaints three hours before the start of the Nava Kerala Sadas, adhering to displayed guidelines.

To facilitate a streamlined process, separate counters will be set up for senior citizens, differently-abled individuals, and women.

Chief Minister Vijayan expressed optimism about the outreach programme, emphasising Kerala's history of inclusive and sustainable development.

'Kerala is poised to make history as the #NavaKeralaSadas kicks off tomorrow at Manjeshwaram, the northernmost constituency in the state.

This outreach programme, which concludes on December 23 in Thiruvananthapuram, will see the entire council of ministers visiting 140 constituencies, engaging directly with people from all walks of life,' the CM said in a post on social media platform X.

The CMO outlined a system for resolving complaints promptly, with a hand receipt issued for all complaints.

The status of complaints can be tracked on the website www.navakeralasadas.kerala.gov.in.

District-level officials are committed to deciding on complaints within two to four weeks, the release said.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress criticised the initiative, alleging it to be a political campaign ahead of parliamentary elections.

Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan and KPCC president K Sudhakaran accused the government of using taxpayers' money for a public relations exercise.

Sudhakaran also accused the government of extravagance, citing the purchase of a new bus for the chief minister's yatra, which Transport Minister Antony Raju refuted, stating it was not an 'ultra-luxurious' bus and would later be utilised by the tourism department. PTI RRT TGB RRT ANE