Congress is trying to debunk Twenty20’s development claims, citing lapses in funds

The Congress has questioned Twenty20’s development claims, citing alleged shortcomings in plan funds in the four Grama Panchayats ruled by the political organization backed by Kitex Group in Ernakulam.

Senior Congress leader and Chalakudy MP Benny Behanan said on Saturday (November 29) that scheme funds worth ₹19.4 crore in Kizhakambalam Panchayat had lapsed under the Twenty20 government over the past decade. Quoting an RTI response, he said Kunnathunad panchayat had reported lapses of ₹8.91 crore, Mazhuvannoor ₹12.99 crore and Aikkaranadu ₹2.55 crore in the last five years since Twenty20 came to power in the local bodies in 2020.

Mr Behanan said Kizhakkambalam panchayat, home of Twenty20, in Ernakulam had slipped to 70th position in terms of plan fund expenditure in the 2023-24 financial year and to 33rd in 2024-25, while the panchayat was at the seventh position by the end of the 2010-15 tenure, when the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) was in power there. He said the Twenty20-governed panchayats were not among the 22 local bodies that spent more than 100% of the plan funds, including carryover amounts from the previous financial year, or among the 21 local bodies that had spent up to 95% of the funds during the previous financial year.

The MP also questioned Twenty20’s claim that Kizhakambalam panchayat had a balance of ₹28 crore, both in fixed deposit and savings account, after implementing development and welfare projects. “The panchayat has foregone not only the plan funds allocated in the state budget but also subsidies from the Center. Central subsidies, if not spent on time, are transferred, but only for projects proposed by the central government. Twenty20 projects the funds it has not spent as a balance. All panchayats deposit money from their own revenues, except the amount required for salaries and other routine expenses, into fixed deposits and savings accounts. Twenty20’s claim to the balance amount is complete It has resorted to a corporate style of preparing a balance sheet to project false profits,” he said.

Expressing confidence that the UDF would return to power in the Twenty20-ruled panchayats, the Congress leader said the front would conduct a comprehensive probe into the contracts awarded by local bodies and the agencies allegedly designated to spend scheme funds.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President VP Sajeendran and District Congress Committee President Muhammed Shiyas attended the press meet.