Alappuzha: The LDF government is set to spend over Rs.100 crore to mark the fourth anniversary of its state cabinet.

As part of the celebrations, a week-long exhibition titled ‘Ente Keralam’ will be held across all districts. The celebrations will kick off in Kasaragod on Monday and culminate in Thiruvananthapuram on May 23.

The decision to allocate such a substantial amount for the anniversary celebrations comes at a time when welfare benefits for financially disadvantaged communities in the state have been stalled due to severe financial crunch. The government has also increased the fee for various public services in an attempt to boost revenue.

Air-conditioned German hangars (huge pavillions) will be set up in each district. The Indian Institute of Infrastructure and Construction (IIIC) in Chavara, which operates under the Uralungal Labour Contract and Cooperative Society Ltd, has been entrusted with the task of setting up basic infrastructure, including the hangars. The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) will provide Rs.3 crore per district to the IIIC, amounting to Rs.42 crore in total for infrastructure alone.

A consortium of event management companies has been entrusted to organise these events. Responsibilities have been divided among different companies, each handling a specific district. The Information and Public Relations Department, who is in charge of coordinating the programme, has been allocated a total of Rs.5.6 crore, with Rs. 40 lakh for in each district. These funds will go toward setting up special pavilions, hosting cultural programmes, conducting district-level meetings and managing local campaigns.

Meanwhile, government departments and state-run public sector units have been authorised to spend up to Rs.7 lakh each to participate in the fairs. Cumulatively, this accounts for around Rs.3.5 crore per district, pushing the total expenditure in this category to over Rs. 49 crore across the state. An additional Rs.20.71 crore has been earmarked for erecting advertisement boards.

The IIIC was responsible for setting up similar venues for the government’s first and second anniversary events in 2022 and 2023. However, there were no celebrations for the third anniversary due to the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister’s statewide interaction tour

As part of the celebrations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will hold interaction sessions in every district. Participants for these events will be identified through party offices and official invitation cards will be printed and distributed. Following these district-level programmes, zonal meetings are also planned. The district meetings will coincide with LDF rallies being held on the same day.