Pinarayi Vijayan refutes Nirmala Sitharaman’s claims on state’s development aid
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Kozhikode: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan accused Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of making false claims regarding providing the state’s due development funds which the Chief Minister vehemently refuted, shedding light on the strained relationship between the state and the centre governments.
Addressing the gathering at the Nava Kerala Sadas, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan refuted Nirmala Sitharaman's claim that the Union government promptly provided all necessary funds to the state without delay.
Vijayan asserted that the Union government, instead, deliberately stalled several development initiatives in Kerala. The crux of the issue revolves around the timely release of funds under various categories, with both parties pointing fingers at each other for the delays.
Highlighting specific instances, Vijayan disclosed that the Union government was supposed to contribute approximately ₹579 crore for the implementation of social security schemes in the state.
However, these funds were delayed by three and a half years, leaving the state to rely on its own resources to support beneficiaries.
The Chief Minister emphasized the impact on the 64 lakh beneficiaries who depend on these schemes, stating that up to 90% of them did not receive aid from the Union government for their pensions.
Pinarayi Vijayan also accused the Union government of a similar pattern of withholding funds for programs targeting the elderly, persons with disabilities, and paddy farmers. He rejected Sitharaman's claim that the LDF government failed to submit detailed project proposals, asserting that Kerala's Finance Minister KN Balagopal had visited the Union Minister multiple times with the required details.
The blame game intensified as Vijayan accused Nirmala Sitharaman of attempting to mislead the public by placing the entire blame on the state government.
Moreover, the Chief Minister criticized the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Congress, for not actively supporting Kerala's development projects.
According to Vijayan, no UDF Member of Parliament had stood with the state government or signed the memorandum submitted to the Union government, urging them to prioritize Kerala's developmental concerns.
