The announcement of the Kerala budget began on a controversial note on Friday with the opposition alleging that the budget document had been leaked. Causing an uproar in Assembly, the Congress led by Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that several key announcements from the budget were already being discussed on social media.
While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said it was common for the budget to be discussed while it was being presented in the Assembly, he promised that the matter would be examined. However, opposition members continued to raise slogans in the floor of the House and later staged a walk-out even as Finance Minister Thomas Isaac continued with his budget presentation.
The second budget by the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government focussed on social welfare with an emphasis on infrastructure development as Rs 25,000 crore earmarked for it.
Another key highlight of Kerala’s budget was on women’s safety. The state FM announced that a special department will be set up to ensure the safety of women. His announcement comes in the wake of the recent abduction and alleged rape of a Malayalam actor in a moving car in Kochi.
Budget Highlights
Rs 25,000 crore for infrastructure development.
Rs. 5,628 crore for development 182 roads
Rs 6,500 crore for coastal highway, Rs 35,00 crore for hill highway
Rs 1696 crore for drinking water projects
Rs 1,000 crore for the infrastructure development and quality improvement of public education institutions
Rs 2,500 crore for public health sector
Complete prevention for lifestyle diseases and free treatment
45,000 High Tech class rooms for public education institutions
Rs 9,748 crore for local bodies
Rs 1,621 crore for child welfare
Rs 10 crore for technology innovation
Rs 68 cr for plans to prevent atrocities against women
Special department for women’s safety will be set up in 2017-18. New posts will be created for this. All the welfare schemes for women will also come under it.
Gender audit will be presented along with next budget
Rs 162 crore for Kudumbashree
Revenue income: 93,584 crore
Revenue expenditure: 1,09,627 crore
Total estimated revenue Rs 1,19,124 crore
Total estimated expenditure: 1,19,601 crore