Kerala denied due share by Centre; Congress too not supportive: FM Balagopal

Kerala finance minister KN Balagopal on Friday (August 18) hit out the Centre for cutting the state's tax share and borrowing limit and also simultaneously accused Opposition UDF MPs for not cooperating with the state government to get the state’s deserved share from the Union government.

Balagopal was addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram when he attacked the Centre and the UDF at.

However, despite the financial crisis faced by Kerala, the LDF government has assured assistance in all sectors and expects to spend around ₹19,000 crore during Onam season, he pointed out. “Despite the difficulty, the government is ensuring assistance in all areas,” the minister said. The social welfare pension has already been paid, he added.

Further, the Kerala finance minister alleged that the Centre is trying to impose economic sanctions on Kerala and that the UDF MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, who represents Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, are doing nothing for the state.

Though the Congress-led UDF MPs had agreed to stand united on the financial issues being faced by the state, none of them agreed to meet Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sign the memorandum to be submitted to her recently, the minister alleged.

During the recent MPs conference convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here, the Congress MPs had assured all support to stand united to protect the interests of the state, he said. But neither the 18 Lok Sabha MPs of the UDF nor their Rajya Sabha colleagues turned up to meet the union finance minister to appraise her of the state's financial position and to pressure her to release the state's dues, he alleged.

It appears that the UDF MPs share the BJP’s interest in trying to impose economic sanctions on Kerala, the minister said.

Condemning the Centre’s approach towards Kerala on economic matters, Balagopal alleged that the BJP-led government has tied the state's hands by reducing its deserved allocations and shares. “Even our fingers (not just hands) are tied,” Balagopal said, illustrating the acute financial crisis that the state faces.

Besides cutting short Kerala’s borrowing limit, the Centre has also slashed the state’s deserved tax share and revenue deficit grant substantially, he pointed out.

The state finance minister sought to know what the UDF MPs from the state have done so far on this important issue. “Not a single UDF MP from the state was ready to sign the memorandum (to be submitted to the Union finance minister). There was no politics; only financial matters were in the memorandum. The MPs were also not ready to meet her,” he said.

Accusing the Congress of “cheating” the people of the state, the senior CPI (M) leader asked if the Opposition MPs too were acting to protect the interests of the BJP in the matter.

He also sought to know if the MPs' non-cooperation was part of a policy adopted by the Opposition UDF against the LDF government. “If allocations are drastically reduced by the Centre, it would adversely impact the state's education and health sectors and not protect even the basic rights of the future generation,” the finance minister warned

(With agency inputs)