MoU between Life Mission and UAE based Red Crescent surfaces; ED looks into document

The State Government’s claim that it was not directly involved in the agreement for the Life Mission project with the UAE based Red Crescent, seem to have fallen apart. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Life Mission and UAE based Red Crescent, to build houses for the homeless, has surfaced this week indicating otherwise.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been inked between the Kerala government and the UAE-based Red Crescent for the Life Mission housing project and it was handed over to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday.

The MoU says that the state Government is the second party in the memorandum signed with the Red Crescent, for building houses for the homeless in the state. Though the government was named as a party in the project, the contract did not mention the financial auditing.

According to the MoU, Rs 20 crore was estimated towards the Life Mission housing project at Wadakkanchery which includes a housing complex spending Rs 14.5 crore and a hospital for Rs 5.5 crore.

Dr Mohammad Ateeq Al Falahi, UAE Red Crescent Authority General Secretary and Life Mission Chief Executive Officer UV Jose had signed the seven-page MoU on July 11, 2019.

ETV Bharat holds a copy of the MoU. When there were allegations about the Life Mission project apartments, the Government had stated that it is not directly involved in the project.