Ker CM refutes opposition allegation on TV show

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Wednesday refuted the opposition allegation that his government had decided to handover the production of "Naam Munnottu", a weekly interactive show, to CPI(M)-owned channel Malayalam Communications.

Vijayan said the show will be produced by the Department of Information and Public Relations (PRD) and only the studio floor and equipment of the channel will be used.

"Naam Munnottu" is a 30-minute programme telecast every week discussing and debating on various development initiatives of the government.

Vijayan was replying to a submission by Congress leader K C Joseph in the Assembly alleging that the government had decided to handover the programme to the party-owned channel.

The production of the show was done by the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) which has executed a wide range of projects in the government sector in the state.

"C-DIT has been producing and shooting for the live result of Kerala state lottery every day.

This creates some trouble to shoot other programmes. We then decided to seek floors of other private TV channels and studio houses and finally gave it to Malayalam Communications as it provided the lowest rate in the tender," Vijayan said.

It was the BJP, which raked up the issue with its senior leader V Muraleedharan alleging that Vijayan had handed over the C-DIT projects to private firms.

"By handing over the weekly TV programme 'Nam Munnottu' to @cpimspeak-owned Kairali TV, Kerala CM @vijayanpinarayi has violated the assurance to the State Assembly that under no circumstance would he hand over C-DIT projects to private firms," Muraleedharan tweeted.

Later, the Congress also joined the bandwagon alleging that the Left government favoured its party channel for the production of the programme.

Vijayan made it clear that no project of PRD will be given to any private firms.

"In this case the PRD has taken the studio floor for the shoot and the programme will be organised and produced by the PRD itself. The worry is misplaced," Vijayan said.

He stressed that the government had been doing everything possible to develop the C-DIT and its income has almost doubled.

"The average income during 2011-16 was Rs 36.73 crore and it has increased to Rs 68 crore now," Vijayan told the assembly.