THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first full budget of the third Modi government has opened a political blame game with the LDF and UDF ganging up on one side and the BJP on the other.
The ruling front and opposition came down heavily on the Union government alleging complete neglect of the state’s demands, while the BJP said that accusing the Union government of neglect towards the state amounts to challenging the people.
Coming down heavily on the budget, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the central government has rejected the state’s important demands. “Kerala had demanded a Rs 24,000-crore special package. Moreover, state also sought a rehabilitation package for Wayanad landslide victims. We demanded central assistance for the Vizhinjam Port too. There are no big projects for the state and there was no mention of AIIMS and railway coach factory,” the CM said in a statement.
Around `25 lakh crore was allocated for other states, but Kerala did not even get `40,000 crore. “Kerala is being punished for its achievements. No support price was declared for agricultural products. There are no projects for the rubber- paddy-coconut sector. The budget has neglected OBCs, SC-STs, and agricultural labourers,” he added.
Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan also criticised the Centre for its alleged neglect towards the state. He termed the rise in the limit of income tax a political gimmick. “The Centre has not sanctioned Wayanad rehabilitation package and there was no mention of AIIMS. The budget did not even utter the word Keralam. There was no suggestion to bring down the unemployment rate and no action has been mentioned about rejuvenation of the small-scale ventures,” he said.
Meanwhile, Union minister George Kurian, in reply to a media query on Centre’s neglect towards the state, sarcastically said: “To get central aid, the state should first declare itself as a backward state. Let the state first declare that it is backward in education, road and social sectors.”
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam called on the people to protest against the Union budget. “The budget proposals help corporates to exploit common people. The budget which has been prepared with a political agenda has shown injustice towards Kerala. The people will reject this budget,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said while the Union government has declared many projects for Bihar, Kerala has been sidelined. “Though there are two Union ministers from the state, it didn’t help. The action of the government is completely against federalism,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Union minister V Muraleedharan termed the budget as a road map for India’s future. “The decision to fully exempt 36 life-saving drugs from customs duty will help many poor people. The inclusion of homestays in the Mudra loan scheme will help the tourism industry,” he said.
