Central Budget ignored Kerala's needs totally: Chief Minister

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here on Monday that the Central Budget had totally ignored Kerala’s needs.

As Kerala was going through an agrarian crisis, it had expected assistance from the Centre. However, the Budget belied hopes that Centre would provide Rs. 1000 crore to help the rubber farmers who were facing sharp decline in prices.  Moreover, the allotment to the Rubber Board was slashed.

The Chief Minister said that though the State government had taken steps to find land for an all India institute of medical sciences in Kerala on the basis of assurance from the Centre, the proposal was not included in the Budget.

The assurance that the Sabarimala would be declared a national pilgrim centre was not kept. No support was offered to overseas Keralites who needed support in view of financial crisis in the Gulf countries, Mr. Chandy said.

He noted that the demand for special package for tribals of Wayand was also been ignored. The allocations for various public sector units and central projects in Kerala had been reduced.