Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM has taken charge of leading the Nava Kerala Survey, a massive state-wide exercise announced by the state government to evaluate the reach and impact of its development and welfare programmes. The party will oversee the recruitment of volunteers and their registration through the official portal created for the purpose.

“People who owe allegiance to the LDF and are willing to work voluntarily should be inducted into the survey teams,” states a letter issued by the party’s state committee to its district units.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier described the Nava Kerala Survey as a platform to gather public feedback on the government’s development and welfare initiatives. The exercise, which aims to reach nearly 80 lakh households across the state, is now gaining momentum with the party beginning the mobilisation of volunteers. The government, however, has not announced any remuneration for those taking part in the survey.

The move has further fuelled criticism that the survey could serve as a political outreach exercise for the LDF ahead of the upcoming elections.

While the government has scheduled the survey for January and February, the CPM has instructed its units to recruit volunteers willing to continue working until March 31. This directive has intensified concerns that the survey is being conducted with electoral motives in mind. The government has allocated ₹20 crore for the project.

Six-member action force in each panchayat ward
At the grassroots level, each panchayat ward will have a six-member action force, while municipal wards will have eight members. A three-member supervisory team, comprising one government official and two volunteer workers, will oversee the operations of each survey team. The selection of this team, too, will be handled by the respective party units.

At the Assembly constituency level, a retired government official, either from state or central service but sympathetic to the LDF, is to be identified to coordinate activities. For district-level supervision, a three-member team with a pro-LDF orientation will be constituted.

The district committees have been instructed to compile and submit the lists of volunteers to be identified at the district, constituency, and local body levels. These lists, once consolidated by the CPM leadership, will eventually turn into the government-appointed committees overseeing the Nava Kerala Survey.