Budget a Disappointment for Kerala, None of Our Demands Met: Dr. John Brittas MP

New Delhi: CPI M Rajya Sabha MP Dr John Brittas criticised the Union Budget, stating that Kerala has been “completely ignored” despite repeatedly raising several key demands with the Centre.

Responding to the media in Delhi after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget, Brittas said the Centre announced seven new rail corridors, but Kerala’s long-standing requests for major railway projects were once again overlooked.

He pointed out that while Kerala’s proposals were earlier rejected, E Sreedharan had recently claimed that a rail corridor for the state had already received central approval. “There is no mention of such a project in the Budget. That makes the claim doubtful. Such information should come officially from the Union Railway Minister,” he said. He added that Kerala has expressed willingness to accept any form of high-speed railway project.

Brittas also termed the 16th Finance Commission report “devastating” for states. He noted that even BJP-ruled states have been demanding that the states’ share in the Centre’s divisible tax pool be increased to 50 percent from the current 41 percent. “Around 75 percent of public expenditure is now being borne by states,” he said.

He further criticised the Centre’s continued reliance on duty and surcharge collections, stating that around 7 lakh crore rupees had been raised through such means. States have been demanding that these revenues be included in the divisible pool for sharing, but that request too was ignored, he said.

On the agriculture front, Brittas alleged that after the formation of the Rubber Board, rubber-related initiatives that should have benefited Kerala farmers were shifted to other states.

He also raised concerns over the allocation of national institutions. “This government has sanctioned 22 AIIMS. One state has even received two AIIMS. Kerala has been demanding an AIIMS for years, but there is only silence,” he said. According to him, projects related to Ayurveda, inland waterways, and ship repair units also bypassed Kerala. “Kerala has one of the most developed inland waterway networks in the country, yet projects were announced elsewhere. Ship repair facilities went to Varanasi and Patna,” he said.

He noted that Kerala was mentioned in connection with a rare earth corridor, but said this appeared to be linked only to the state’s mineral resources, not broader development.

Calling the Budget “a disappointment for Kerala”, Brittas also questioned the status of the Prime Minister’s Internship Programme and asked how many jobs had actually been created. He said the Budget speech did not address the rupee’s fall against the US dollar or concerns about “tax terror”. Referring to the recent suicide of an entrepreneur, he said such incidents must be examined in the larger economic context.

Brittas said Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal had submitted 29 demands to the Union Finance Minister and discussions had been held, but none of them found a place in the Budget. “We thought that, with elections approaching in Kerala, at least some projects might be announced. Even that has not happened,” he said.

He also alleged that the BJP was using E Sreedharan’s remarks to undermine Kerala’s demands. “If any proposal has truly been approved, it should be officially communicated by the Centre,” he said.

Brittas further noted that no major projects for village development were announced in the Budget.