Union Budget 2025 | If Kerala wants more funds, let it say it's backward, says George Kurian

The remark from the Union Ministe came in the wake of intense criticism from the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi: Union Minister George Kurian said that if Kerala wants more funds from the Centre, the state should declare that it is backward in terms of education, infrastructure, and social welfare.

The remark from Kurian, while speaking to reporters in the national capital, came in the wake of intense criticism of the Union Budget 2025-26 from the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala, which on Saturday accused the central government of "neglecting" all of the state's demands.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal, and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said that several of the state's demands, including a special financial package of Rs 24,000 crore and another package for the rehabilitation of Wayanad, were "ignored" in the budget.

They termed the budget "condemnable", "extremely disappointing" and "unfortunate".

Following their remarks, Kurian, the Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and Minority Affairs, said that the Centre allocates such financial packages to states that are backward on various indices.

"You announce that Kerala is backward, that it does not have roads, good education, etc. If you say that Kerala is behind other states in terms of education, infrastructure, and social welfare, then the (Finance) Commission will examine it and give a report to the central government.

The central government will take a decision based on the report. It does not decide on its own," he said.

Irked by his remarks, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan hit back, saying that the Centre wants Kerala to be backward, "but that will not happen".

He said that the central government is supposed to help Kerala develop further, "instead of asking it to go backwards".

"So, George Kurian's help is for Kerala to go backwards," he contended while speaking at an event in the state capital.

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