New Delhi: The collaboration of UAE’s Red Crescent in the Life Mission scheme in Kerala required the approval of the Centre but the state government did not seek it, the External Affairs Ministry has said.
The UAE Consulate and construction company Unitac had no authority to enter into a contract for the project without the Centre’s approval, the ministry told the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
Records show that the state government had not sought the Centre’s approval for the memorandum of understanding (MoU) it had signed with Red Crescent, the Ministry’s spokesperson Anurag Srivastava told a weekly press conference.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee had met on Thursday to discuss economic crimes and agreements with various countries on the transfer of sentenced persons.
N K Premchandran asked questions on the Life Mission and the gold smuggling case.
External Affairs Ministry Secretary Vikas Swaroop said if a private company is entering into an agreement with the UAE’s Red Crescent for a project in Kerala, it would have required the central government’s approval. He, however, did not specify if there would be any action for not obtaining permission.
When asked about the return to the UAE of the attaché of the Consulate in Thiruvananthapuram after the diplomatic baggage gold smuggling case was detected at the Trivandrum International Airport, Swaroop said investigative agencies can question him in that country if necessary.
If the attaché is found guilty, then he should be tried under the UAE’s laws.
There is no provision in the agreements between India and the UAE for the transfer of each other’s nationals found guilty, Swaroop said.
Central approval not needed: CM
Thiruvananthapuram: The central approval is not required for the state government to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Red Crescent, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
“Central approval is required only when signing agreements with foreign governments. However, when signing such MoUs (like with Red Crescent), usually, the Centre has to be informed. If it has not been informed, we can still inform it about the MoU. There shouldn’t be any problem,” he said.
