Thiruvananthapuram: Amidst vociferous protests from Opposition benches, Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy presented his government’s fifth and final budget in the state assembly on Friday, with a strong emphasis on infrastructure development and a spattering of promises.
As the chief minister rose to present the budget, the Opposition MLAs, too, rose in protest, holding placards and shouting slogans demanding the resignation of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues, K. Babu and Aryadan Mohammad who are accused of accepting bribes.
Chandy himself had to present his government’s last budget because his former finance minister, K.M. Mani had to quit the cabinet after liquor bar owners levelled allegations of corruption against him.
As the chief minister continued with his budget speech, ignoring the protests, the Opposition trooped out of the assembly, led by Opposition leader, V.S. Achuthanandan.
Giving a strong emphasis to physical infrastructure development, Chandy provisioned Rs12 billion for the development of roads and bridges in the state. Another sector to get significant funding was the tech sector, which has been allotted Rs4.58 billion (Dh246,6 million).
Apparently aiming to please the farm sector which has been hard hit by low productivity and falling commodity prices, the chief minister provisioned large amounts to the sector. He allotted Rs5 billion to the rubber price stabilisation fund. This fund is intended to ensure rubber planters get a minimum price of Rs150 per kg.
In comparison, the paddy and coconut farming sectors were provisioned much lesser budget allocations of Rs350 million and Rs260 million respectively. In all, the farm sector was allocated Rs7.64 billion.
The chief minister also announced that the government would waive the agricultural income tax. In addition, the budget also promises waiver of taxes on life-saving medicines, door and window frames and cleaning liquids used to wash vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides.
Ahead of the budget, Chandy said he was only standing in for his former cabinet colleague, Mani. The chief minister said Mani had to quit only because of a “conspiracy” by the opposition.
The budget itself has only academic importance because the new government that will be formed in May will be presenting its budget.
