Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: Ahead of Kerala’s assembly elections scheduled for later this year, state finance minister Dr Thomas Isaac on Friday delivered a welfare budget.
The presentation of the budget itself took a record three hours and 18 minutes.
Through the budget, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government aims to win the mandate again in Kerala, Isaac hinted.
The welfare measures announced included continuation of free food kits till April; an increase of ₹100 in pension for the aged to ₹1,600; a raise of ₹1,000 in pension to journalists and non-journalists; a ₹1,000 hike in salaries of Asha workers.
The state finance minister also announced 150,000 houses for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes within an year.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala of the Congress-led United Democratic Front termed Isaac’s presentation an election budget.
Listing the schemes that were announced in previous budgets but not implemented, Chennithala said the current one includes some such schemes.
In a debate on Asianet News, Dr Martin Patrick, a noted economist, called the budget a “proper blend of several welfare measures and development-oriented schemes”.
Tax expert Mathai Nooranal, in the same debate, noted that the government hasn’t listed how resources will be mobilized to implement the schemes.
“Some 67% of available resources are used for staff salary, pension and interest on loans taken,” Nooranal said in the debate.
Dr Sangeetha, an economist from Kochi, said the budget supports the welfare of women while intending to generate jobs.
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