Union Budget Ignores Kerala, Expatriates, Violates Federal Spirit: NORKA Welfare Board

Thiruvananthapuram: The NORKA Welfare Board has stated that the Union Budget, which has completely ignored Kerala and the expatriate community, does not align with the federal structure of the country. The announcements in the budget give the impression that the Central government has decided that Kerala is not part of India, the Board said in a statement.

The Centre has adopted a vindictive approach towards Kerala, whose development models under Left governments have drawn global attention. The statement said the Centre has turned its back on Kerala’s dream projects, including AIIMS, the Vizhinjam International Seaport, and high-speed rail. While seven high-speed rail corridors were sanctioned in other states, Kerala was completely sidelined. It also noted that despite giving major importance to pilgrimage tourism, the Centre ignored Sabarimala, one of Asia’s largest pilgrimage centres.

The budget did not contain a single reference to expatriates, who form the backbone of India’s foreign exchange reserves. The Central government’s reluctance even to utter the word “expatriate” is highly condemnable, the statement said. The long-standing demand for a central allocation to support Kerala government’s expatriate welfare initiatives has once again been ignored.

By maintaining silence on issues such as inflation, unemployment, and the crisis facing the export sector, the budget is creating a smokescreen among the public, the Board said. Calling for strong protests against the Union Budget, the NORKA Welfare Board said it is a budget that obstructs the welfare and progress of the state.