Kerala draws blank in Budget

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who offered substantial funds and projects to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, has overlooked Kerala, which is grappling with a severe financial crisis, in her Budget.

During the customary pre-budget discussions, Kerala Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal met Sitharaman in Delhi and formally submitted the state’s plea for additional funds to alleviate the economic hardship.

Despite facing inadequate Budget allocations in previous years, the state had hoped for a better outcome this time, especially after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made its debut in the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala.

Kerala’s primary request was a special package of Rs24,000 crore over two years from 2024-25 to revitalize its struggling economy. Additionally, the state sought unconditional permission to borrow Rs6,000 crore from the market to repay loans taken for acquiring land for highway widening projects.

For Kerala, the situation remains dire, with no immediate relief in sight.

Union Minister of State for Tourism, Suresh Gopi, who represents Thrissur in the Lok Sabha, has refuted claims that Kerala was neglected in the budget.

“States have been given opportunities to create millions of jobs for youths, and Kerala should seize these opportunities instead of making baseless accusations against the Centre,” Gopi told mediapersons.

The film star-turned-politician is hopeful that an AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) unit will be allocated to the state. However, he noted that the 150 acres of land acquired for this purpose may be insufficient to establish an AIIMS unit.

This demand has been a longstanding one for Kerala, and despite repeated requests at pre-budget meetings, there has been no substantial progress.