THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister V Muraleedharan has accused the Kerala government of misleading the public by falsely stating that the Central government reduced the Revenue Deficit (RD) grant. Contrary to the Kerala state’s claims, the Center has provided more than the allotted amount to Kerala in the last two fiscal years. Muraleedharan asserts that the Kerala government is blaming the Centre and misguiding the public, despite Kerala receiving the highest RD grant.
The criticism comes in response to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement that the RD grant has decreased by Rs 8,400 crore compared to the previous year. Muraleedharan presented figures on Central transfers, emphasizing that the Centre has fulfilled all eligible instances of fund transfers to the state. Any withholding of funds occurred when the state failed to apply within the stipulated deadline.
Muraleedharan emphasized that a Chief Minister should be aware of the allotted amount for each state, as specified by the Finance Commission in 2017. He pointed out that BJP-ruled states like UP and Gujarat did not receive additional funds under the RD grant, refuting the Kerala government’s claims of political favoritism.
Regarding the alleged Rs 750 crore in arrears for the 7th salary revision, Muraleedharan stated that the state government neglected to submit the necessary reports, leading to the current situation. He highlighted that the state is yet to receive Rs 1,925 crore for capital expenditure aid for Central schemes due to the state’s failure to submit compliance reports on time.
Muraleedharan clarified that funds under social security pensions, including arrears, were transferred to Kerala last month. However, the state has not applied for the second installment. He also mentioned the highest funds allocated to Kerala in the fisheries sector but criticized the state government for diverting the funds for extravagant programs.
In this manner, the negligence, extravagance, and nepotism of the Kerala government led farmer KG Prasad into a debt trap. Muraleedharan criticized them and asserted that they should be held responsible for the farmer’s suicide.
In conclusion, Muraleedharan blamed the financial crisis in the state on the negligence, financial mismanagement, and extravagance of the Pinarayi Vijayan Government, stating that the Central Government has no role in it.
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