Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Allocation insufficient: Opposition

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) on Friday criticised Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac for his failure to make sufficient budgetary allocation to meet the impending crisis on account of the economic downturn.

Terming the budget an “election stunt,” Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala said in a statement here the Finance Minister had generated a lot of hope that he would present a budget that would equip the State to outlast the challenges posed by the global economic crisis.

However, he had belied such hopes by presenting some magical figures in the short term to address voters during election time instead of coming up with valid allocations for the agriculture and industrial sectors.

He had also gone back on his word that his budget would have a comprehensive revival and rehabilitation package for the thousands of Gulf expatriates who were expected to return home because of the economic slump.

Addressing a press conference, Kerala Congress(M) leader K.M. Mani picked holes in Dr. Isaac’s budget by pointing out that allocation for capital expenditure was not sufficient to help the State face the impact of the global economic crisis. The Minister had provided for a mere Rs.17 crore increase in capital expenditure at Rs.1,709.15 crore this year, as against the Rs.1,692 crore in his revised estimates.

Mr. Mani expressed reservations at the Finance Minister overlooking the Central Travancore belt by ignoring important projects like the Meenachil river valley scheme.

Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader C.T. Ahmedali, terming the budget as disappointing, criticised the Finance Minister for his failure to announce a valid rehabilitation package for the Gulf expatriates who were under threat of losing their jobs.

Staff Reporter writes from Alappuzha: Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy has termed the State budget an “impractical budget” and an “election gimmick” that “corrodes the public’s confidence in the concept of a budget.”

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Chandy said the budget did not have the seriousness required of a one presented during a global economic slowdown.

The Rs.10,000-crore anti-slowdown package was nothing but an eyewash, because Rs.5,000 crore was set aside for the three departments of Roads, Water Authority and Irrigation, he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president P.K. Krishnadas said here on Friday that the State Budget for 2009-10 could be seen only as the election manifesto of the Left Democratic Front.

Reacting to the Budget, Mr. Krishnadas said that beyond announcements, there was little possibility of the Budget proposals being carried out. The Budget proposed no solution to the crisis gripping the agricultural and industrial sectors.

There was no vision to free the State from debts.

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