Councillors learn few lessons on Kudumbashree

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The unnerving question that once put the Corporation Council into animosity again raised its hood on Tuesday. Who is the bigger power in a ward - the councillor or the Kudumbashree CDS? This time, the question came up at the workshop organised by the Corporation for its councillors at the Thycaud Rest House.A commotion began over the question posed by a UDF councillor, with a CDS chairperson challenging him to take on Kudumbashree. Finally, after a pandemonium, the workshop was called off.While the LDF members in the Council alleged that the UDF was out to topple the democratic structure of Kudumbashree, the UDF made it clear that politicisation of Kudumbashree would not be tolerated anymore.The workshop was organised with the aim of giving a better idea of the Kudumbashree structure to the new (especially the UDF councillors) members. Mayor K Chandrika, who met media persons in the evening after the whole din, said that the workshop was held at the request of the Congress members. It was to teach them about the many Centre-sponsored schemes and how the councillors and Kudumbashree have to coordinate for implementing them."Their aim was to create hurdles in our implementation of the projects,’’ the Mayor said.At the workshop, Kudumbashree State Mission Director Sarada Muraleedharan led the class for two hours, at the end of which she answered the doubts of the councillors. Kottapuram councillor Sadanandan Thai then stood up to ask if the councillors were under the CDS administration or the Kudumbashree CDS was under the ward councillor.This led to a mumble and mutter among the Kudumbashree members. Sarada Muraleedharan replied that Kudumbashree was a registered charitable organisation and does not come under the Corporation. She said that it was up to the councillor to check the activities of the Kudumbashree units in his ward and show them the right path. However, the answer did not satisfy the UDF members.