Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], January 29 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the state budget presented by his government in the Legislative Assembly is people-centric and aimed at ensuring comprehensive development while strengthening welfare measures across all sections of society.
In a statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Vijayan said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has, over the past decade, consistently worked to transform Kerala into a modern, developed middle-income society, a goal articulated in the 14th Five-Year Plan of 2022.
"For the past ten years, the LDF government has been striving to transform Kerala into a modern, developed middle-income society. This objective was defined in the 14th Five-Year Plan of 2022. Such a middle-income society must stand on two pillars. The first is to build a welfare state for the people in line with the Directive Principles envisaged in our Constitution. The second is to accelerate economic growth by increasing capital investment and developing infrastructure. The figures indicate that Kerala is rapidly progressing towards both these goals. Moreover, with the swift implementation of the proposals presented in today's budget, comprehensive progress will become possible in the state," he said.
Some sections have alleged that proposals announced in the budget are those that could not be implemented over the past ten years. The Chief Minister dismissed these claims as frivolous, born of sheer frustration.
He said several projects once dismissed as impossible have, in fact, been realised over the last decade. Initiatives such as national highway development and the second phase of the Vizhinjam port stand as clear examples of this progress, realities that cannot be ignored or wished away.
Kerala CMO stated that the budget clears pension arrears, boosts welfare, education, employment, and gig workers.
"This budget provides relief to all sections of society, including workers, farmers, the middle class, government employees, and the trade and industrial community. It aims to address their immediate needs while promoting overall economic stability."
Kerala CM said that the budget sends a strong political message from Kerala in response to the central government's encroachments on Indian federalism and constitutional values.