The CPI(M) Polit Bureau, the highest-ranking body of the party, has slammed the BJP-led Central government for allegedly discriminating against Kerala and its financial needs.
“The Central government is adopting a discriminatory and negative attitude to Kerala’s fiscal requirements. Kerala is entitled to Rs 24,915 crores as public borrowing for the year 2019-20. This has been unilaterally reduced by the Centre to Rs 16,602 crores in the name of neutralizing the alleged increase in public account debt in 2016-17,” reads the Polit Bureau statement.
The statement was released following the Polit Bureau meet held in Delhi on Saturday and Sunday.
It also came down on the Centre for denying relief fund to the state despite the fact that Kerala had witnessed floods and landslides in 2019.
“Kerala has been denied any allocation for natural calamity relief despite submitting a claim for Rs. 2,100 crore. The Central government should provide allocation under the natural calamity relief fund to the state which had suffered from serious floods in 2019,” stated the Polit Bureau.
While the Centre allotted assistance to seven states, including four BJP-ruled ones - Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tripura and Assam - and three others - Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, it ignored Kerala.
Kerala had estimated a loss of Rs 2,101 crore after the 2019 floods. Though a seven-member team from the Centre had come in September to visit the flood-hit and landslide affected areas, there has been no update from the Centre following that.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau also stated that the state has not been paid Rs 1,600 crore GST compensation that was due in December. According to the statement, Centre is also supposed to pay Kerala Rs 1,215 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
“The Polit Bureau is demanding an end to this discriminatory approach by the Centre to the state,” it stated.