Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said the Union Budget was completely disappointing for the state.
“The Union Budget completely neglected Kerala’s demands including AIIMS and a virology institute. We had sought to increase the borrowing limit in the backdrop of the floods, but the plea was not heeded by the centre,” said Isaac.
The Budget has allocated Kerala less funds that what the state has allocated in its budget. The state's allocation from the central fund had been scaled down by Rs 6,000 crore. If the centre does not help the state with additional resources, it will not be able to go ahead with its various projects," he added.
"Increasing petrol and diesel prices by over Rs 2 per liter is the most disappointing decision in the Union Budget. When the Modi government came to power for the first time, base price of petrol was Rs 9.2. Till yesterday it was Rs 17.98. Now it stands at Rs 19.98," said Isaac.
“Fuel price hike will lead to inflation. The Budget does not mention about agricultural products including rubber. I will send a letter to the centre citing all of these matters,” he added.
The central government had promised to provide insurance worth Rs 5 lakh for the public. However, only Rs 6000 crore has been allocated to the Ayushman scheme. In the last Budget, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) was allocated Rs 61000 crore was reduced to Rs 60,000, he said.
The centre also ignored Kerala’s requests to allocate AIIMS and virology institute, blamed Isaac.
