Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (file)
| Photo Credit: PTI
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, in his maiden policy address to the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Friday (January 17, 2025) marking the start of the Budget session, sought to reaffirm the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s declared policies on social welfare, fiscal consolidation in the face of “limited resources” and climate-resilient, sustainable development.
In his two-hour-long address to the House, Mr. Arlekar reiterated the government’s commitment to building ‘Nava Keralam,’ notwithstanding the constraints posed by limited resources. The policy address expressed “serious concern” over the liquidity stress faced by the State on account of declining share of Union fiscal transfers. It urged the Union government to adopt an “encouraging and positive view” on Kerala’s efforts to step up capital investment for building “high-quality infrastructure.”
Placing stress on a ‘citizens-first vision,’ the policy address highlighted the government’s efforts towards all-round development of key sectors including agriculture and allied sectors, disaster management, healthcare, education, energy and industry.
In the context of recurring incidence of natural calamities and human-wildlife conflict, the government intended to revamp the State, district and local-level disaster management plans, Mr. Arlekar said. The proposals for 2025-26 include the development of heat action plans at the local body-level, given the rise in temperatures.
Thrust areas
Expansion of home care units and telemedicine services for elderly care, establishment of seven centres of excellence in different aspects of higher education as part of the efforts to position Kerala as a global education hub, and plans for an Invest Kerala Global Summit 2025 in Kochi in February for showcasing the State’s investor-friendly ecosystem featured prominently in the policy address.
The government intends to take foward the efforts to revitalise the farm sector and increase farmer incomes, the policy address noted. Steps to reduce post-harvest losses in agriculture, innovative policies and research collaboration in the livestock and fisheries sectors, expansion of dairy insurance are part of the plans for 2025-26, the policy address noted.
As part of the State’s efforts to go 100% renewable energy-powered by 2040, the government plans to host the Global Green Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Summit in Kochi in March, 2025. The summit is designed to position Kerala as “India’s green energy capital and a premier hub for green energy exports,” the policy address said.
Mr. Arlekar reiterated the government’s intention to formulate a comprehensive water policy for integrated resources management. The government also hoped to tap Central funds for developing multipurpose dams that served flood control, drinking water supply and power generation.
It also emphasised the government’s plans for tech-driven, innovative solutions for boosting tourism “that balances growth with environmental stewardship.”
On the State finances front, the policy address was largely confined to repeating the State government’s declared stand on Central policies. The government remains “steadfast in fulfilling the promises made to the people,” despite the hurdles posed by “the cessation of GST compensation and revenue deficit grants coupled with restrictive conditions on Centrally Sponsored Schemes and new borrowing constraints.”
Published – January 17, 2025 01:26 pm IST
