Kerala Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed disappointment that the Union Budget for 2022-23, presented in the parliament has not considered the developmental needs of Kerala.
The Union Budget will not aid in taking forward the development of the State. The budget has also failed to address the urgent needs that the state has always raised. Kerala’s perpetual demand for sanctioning an AIIMS has been ignored. The need for a separate railway zone has also met a similar fate. It may be noted that the fund allocation for Central Public Sector Undertakings in Kerala is inadequate to the needs. The proposed semi-high speed K-Rail project is also not mentioned in the budget, Chief Minister said.
In the post-Covid period, there is a need to provide more assistance to states including Kerala but the budget has been inconsiderate on this. The demand of the states to extend the GST compensation for another 5 years was not considered. Similarly, the budget has not accepted the State’s demand to hike the credit limit to 5 per cent. The reduction in the amount set aside to cover the revenue deficits of the states will also put severe pressure on the financial position of the states.
On the positive side, many of the projects put forward by the state government have been reflected in the central budget. Projects like K-FON, KIIFB and the Digital University are a few of them. It is gratifying that such development perspectives of the State Government are reflected in the union budget. The state government is moving ahead with these projects despite many obstacles and unnecessary opposition. The CM expressed hope that, as the vision of the State is accepted, the Central Government will take the necessary steps to assist these projects.
The Chief Minister has requested the Central Government to sanction and announce projects in the social, physical and infrastructure sectors of Kerala including the AIIMS approval in this Budget session itself.
