JOIN USNothing in budget to solve economic disparities in country: Kerala CM
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said the Union budget for 2023-24 does not attempt to solve the growing economic disparities in the country.
Reacting to the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament, Vijayan said the budget further strengthens the concentration of wealth among corporates. In a statement, the Chief Minister said, "Expert studies have found that economic inequalities are increasing in countries, including India. However, there has been no move by the Central government to impose an appropriate tax on the super-rich."
The Chief Minister said the budget has not taken a regionally balanced approach. He said the long-sought demand of Kerala for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) or rail development projects in the State found no mention in the budget. It only reiterated the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission and apart from that no relaxation has been announced, he said.
Though there was an announcement of interest-free loans to States for capital expenditure being continued this year, the budget speech indicated that there are many conditions attached to it, Vijayan said. "This is not in accordance with the principles of cooperative federalism," he contended.
Another aspect of the budget that the Chief Minister criticised was the gradual cuts, since 2021-22 in the allocation for the centrally-initiated MNREGA scheme and said that the same should be corrected. Criticising the allocation for the health sector, he said the expenditure on Central projects in this key area was coming down substantially since 2021-22 and there has been only a nominal increase in spending on the National Health Mission.
"These are indications that the health sector has not been given enough attention," Vijayan said. He said the State government would take steps to ensure maximum utilisation of the schemes earmarked for the States in the Central budget after checking which ones are beneficial to Kerala. Vijayan urged the Centre to take a sympathetic approach to the railway and other infrastructural developmental projects of Kerala and make the necessary announcements in the budget session itself.