Govt Funds for Women Wall: Govt amends order following controversy

Kochi: At the face of controversy, the government has corrected its order regarding use of government funds for the Women Wall to be organized on the 1st of January. The correction was made in the order that was issued by the Chief Secretary carrying instructions about organizing the Wall. The part mentioning that the Finance Department would be instructed to allocate funds for the programme has been entirely deleted in the new order.

Madhyamam had reported about the Chief Secretary's order which showed that the funds for the Women Wall would entirely come from the government. The text portion at the centre of controversy was that different ministers were entrusted with organizing the Wall in different districts. The chief minister had repeatedly clarified that Rs 50 crore was allocated for women's welfare projects and not a single rupee would be spent for the Wall out of government funds.

However, the order sent by the Chief Secretary to officials including Registrar of High Court, Collectors, heads of departments and Registrars of universities, states in its para 9 that Director of the Woman and Child Development has been authorised to prepare and distribute matter for taking the campaign to every house, for the co-ordination of different departments in the said campaign and for disbursement of funds. Finance Department will be instructed to allocate the funds necessary for this.

When the chief minister's contention that no state funds would be used for the Wall came under fire on the basis of this order, the last part mentioning Finance Department being asked to allocate funds, was deleted.