Slamming the 2024-25 Union Budget on July 23, K. N. Balagopal, the Finance Minister of Kerala, called it a “political exercise” and “gimmick” which are only aimed at serving the interests of the BJP-led NDA government.
“The Union Budget is extremely disappointing for India as a whole but more so to Kerala because it did not address any of their demands,” he added.
According to Mr. Balagopal, Kerala’s demand for ₹24,000 crore special economic package was ignored by budgetary allocations and this also affected Vizhinjam international seaport project as well as AIIMS request.
“While BJP has opened its account in Kerala, Kerala’s account has been closed,” said Mr. Balagopal in reference to the victory of Suresh Gopi a BJP candidate from Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 Lok Sabha elections and later appointed within George Kurian’s ministry as a State minister.
Calls for united stand
Mr. Balagopal has appealed that all should unite together including BJP Union Ministers from the State and Opposition Congress-UDF MPs so as to fight for rightful share of what State deserves.
Nirmala Sitharaman’s focus on few regions leaving out big parts of India at national level during her budget speech primarily aimed at boosting health and long life of Modi Government is an exercise in myopia according to him.
“This Budget is unique in our country’s history and shows that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no moral right to speak about federalism or cooperative federalism,” he charged.
“Instead, rather than focusing on building for future or nation development along with people progress like previous budgets do; this is actually one which is driven by Modi government’s healthiness & longevity desires while being nothing other than some kind trickery / political gambit,” he stated.
In addition, Ms. Sitharaman had also been accused by Mr. Balagopal for reducing allocations to some key areas. The food subsidy has gone down from over ₹2,72,000 crore in 2022-23 to ₹2,05,250 crore and fertilizer subsidy from ₹2,51,000-plus crore to ₹1,64,000 crore as indicated by him. Moreover the allocation for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme went down from ₹90,806 crore in 2022-23 to ₹86,000 crore according to him.
“For instance although there is a lot of noise about employment generation in this year’s budget; the allocation for the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme scheme has come down from ₹2,733crores to ₹2300crores” he commented.
