Kerala budget disappointing, no effort to strengthen economy, says state BJP chief

Kerala BJP president K Surendran on Friday termed the first budget of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government as disappointing and said there has been no attempt to strengthen the state's economy.

Surendran said the Finance Minister KN Balagopal should give details under the COVID-19 financial package announced last year.

"The announcement of second COVID financial package of Rs 20,000 crore, that was introduced in the last budget too, is to deceive people. The government should state what benefits the economic package has brought to the people other than paying the arrears of public works contractors," he said.

Balagopal on Friday announced a second COVID-19 financial package of Rs 20,000 crore in the budget of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.

Surendran said the state budget is based on revenue deficient grant of Rs 19,500 crore sanctioned by the Centre.

He said the Karnataka government had sent money directly to the accounts of auto-rickshaw drivers and street vendors to overcome the COVID financial crisis and there was no such attempt in the Kerala budget.

"While tax collection in all other states is efficient, in Kerala there is no effort to do so," he said.

He alleged the state budget is merely a revision of plans by the central government. "The state government is trying to rename the central projects. There is no attempt in the budget to strengthen the economy and free Kerala from debt. There are no long-term investments in the budget for the overall development of the state," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )