Kerala's ruling CPI (M) and the opposition on Sunday continued to trade barbs over the draft CAG report on Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), with Finance Minister Thomas Isaac terming the unpublished document as "absurd" and senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala alleging corruption in some of the board-funded government projects.
Attacking CAG over the draft report, which said KIIFB was raising loans ‘unconstitutionally,’ Isaac, who is also a senior CPI(M) leader alleged that this was for the first time since the formation of the board in 1999, the government auditor is saying that taking a loan through KIIFB is against the principles of the Constitution. With several projects of the state government including KFONE coming under the scanner of the central agencies including the Enforcement Directorate following the probe into the Kerala gold smuggling case, the CPI(M) sees red in the draft CAG report, prompting Isaac to cast doubts over its intention.
The minister said the state Finance Department is preparing a detailed reply that runs to over 100 pages for providing to the Comptroller and Audit General (CAG). He rejected allegations levelled by the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala that there was corruption in some of the government projects utilizing the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) fund. Stating as "baseless" the Congress leader's charge, Isaac said he did not provide the details of the alleged corruption and the people allegedly involved in it.
Kerala: Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple Reopens from Today
ED Case Kerala: Suspended IAS Officer Sivasankar Sent To Judicial Remand Till Nov 26
Kerala Issues Health Advisory: Sabarimala Temple to Reopen On Nov 16