Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday slammed the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament, stating it appears to discriminate between states.
The chief minister noted that most states including Kerala have been overlooked in the Finance Minister’s announcements, which were prefaced with the ‘8 Goals of National Importance’. While there is no objection to the announcement of development plans required by states, ignoring any state is unacceptable, he added.
Pinarayi said the present approach of the central government hindered the progress of states like Kerala. The continuous disregard for Kerala’s significant demands poses a challenge to the people.
The chief minister said after examining the budget proposals in detail, Kerala will reiterate its demands strongly before the Centre.
He said the budget includes announcements that are crucial for the survival of the central…