Kerala Budget aims to increase revenue amid Centre's curbs: State FM

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Saturday said the public will appreciate the upcoming 2024-25 budget which is aimed at increasing the revenue of the southern state that has been grappling with alleged financial restrictions by the Centre.

Addressing the media here, Balagopal said the Left government has got its limitations due to financial strangulation by the union government, but the budget will be aimed at carrying forward the achievements and development of Kerala.

"The public will appreciate the upcoming budget which is aimed at increasing the revenue of the state. However, the government has got its limitations. But the people have faith in the government that we will do everything for them and the state," he said.

The Kerala budget will be presented on February 5.

The Left leader continued his attack on the Opposition Congress-led UDF in Kerala, which on Friday boycotted the assembly just before the House passed a unanimous resolution against the union government accusing it of destroying the federal structure of the country by financially strangulating the state.

"It's poetic justice that the Karnataka unit of the Congress party today announced a protest against the Centre at Delhi over its mistreatment of that state government a day after the Congress leaders here walked out of the assembly before the resolution," Balagopal said.

He was referring to the protest announced by the Karnataka Congress against the alleged step-motherly treatment by the BJP government at the Centre in the interim budget and other fund allocations.

Karnataka Congress has decided to stage a protest in New Delhi on February 7. The Left party had earlier announced that a protest led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be held at the national capital on February 8.

Balagopal said not only Kerala but states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Telangana, Punjab, Delhi and others are of the opinion that the Centre was financially strangulating the state governments and destroying the federal structure of the country.

"Kerala's economy faces unprecedented financial difficulties because of unfairness and inequality in Centre-State financial relations. A series of policies by the Government of India has resulted in a drastic decline in Central transfers to the state as we all know," Balagopal said.

On Friday, the Kerala Assembly passed a unanimous resolution which accused the union government of destroying the federal structure of the country by financially strangulating the state.

Even though the Opposition was not present in the assembly, Speaker A N Shamseer announced that the resolution was passed unanimously.

Introducing the resolution, Balagopal said that the Centre has reduced Kerala's borrowing limit and slashed the revenue deficit grant.