Asserting that the vision of a ‘New Kerala’ is not just a slogan but a tangible reality, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday hit back at critics who have alleged that the State is sinking into a debt trap.
Inaugurating a Left Democratic Front rally at the Kannur collectorate ground as part of the government’s fourth anniversary, the Chief Minister said development figures clearly contradicted the Opposition narrative.
“The gap between public debt and domestic production has narrowed from 36% to 34%. That is the truth,” he said.
Mr. Vijayan pointed out that 96.23% of the budgeted funds was spent on project implementation and 110.97% on local development projects, dismissing claims that development schemes were being slashed. He said the State’s total income rose from ₹55,000 crore to ₹1.4 lakh crore.
“Would this transformation have happened without the LDF in power?” he asked, highlighting that Kerala braved a series of crises over the past decade, ranging ffrom Nipah and Ockhi to floods and the pandemic, unlike during the tenure of the United Democratic Front government, which facced no comparable challanges.
Coming down on the Centre, Mr. Vijayan said the Union government had failed to support Kerala during emergencies and even blocked aid offered by Malayalee expatriates.
“When Narendra Modi was Gujarat’s Chief Minister, he accepted foreign assistance. But as Prime Minister, he denied the same to Kerala,” he alleged.
He accused the Opposition of backing the Centre, saying that their silence and blame games were attempts to deny Kerala its rightful due.
Published – May 10, 2025 02:00 am IST
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