Stating that the approach of the Union Budget 2025, “which has summarily rejected the demands of the state”, is highly objectionable, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Saturday that the announcements did not include any major project for Kerala. Responding to the budget, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Saturday, Vijayan said Kerala had sought Rs 24,000 crore for various needs. The state sought a package for the rehabilitation and rebuilding of landslide-ravaged Wayanad and another for further development of Vizhinjam seaport. “The budget will aggravate inflation, unemployment and poverty. It stymies development and infringes upon the federal principles of the Constitution. Its approach is highly objectionable,” Vijayan added. The chief minister said Kerala is being punished for the progress achieved in various sectors including education. “The budget has not announced any support price for agricultural products… There is no curb on the import of rubber. The budget has turned into a political draft of neglect towards Kerala. It is highly disappointing. The budget should have been a financial document, but the government has adopted a political approach after factoring in which place goes to polls. This would torpedo the approach of equitable development,” he said. “The budget has not announced any major projects for Kerala. Our long-pending demands for AIIMS and railway coach factory have not been considered in this budget also,” he said. State Finance Minister K N Balagopal too termed the approach of the Union Budget 2025 towards Kerala “highly disappointing”. “There is no equitable approach towards the states and places with political stakes got more allocations,” he stated. “Kerala had several reasonable demands and many legitimate allocations for the state have been slashed drastically. The budget has pumped in funds for Bihar with an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections. It is highly deplorable that the budget did not give any consideration to the landslide victims in Wayanad and the Vizhinjam seaport. The state hopes the Union government will rectify its stand,” he said. The minister, who is also a central committee member of the CPI(M), said factoring in the state’s population, Kerala has to get an allocation of Rs 73,000 crore in the next fiscal. However, in the last year, the state got only Rs 32,000 crore from the Centre.
