Thiruvananthapuram: In the Kerala budget, the state government has allocated Rs 10 crores for the extravagant ‘Keraleeyam’ celebration program, as announced by Kerala State Finance Minister KN Balagopal during the presentation for the 2024-25 financial year in the State Legislative Assembly. This huge amount allocation comes at a time when the state government is struggling with severe financial crisis.
The Minister justified the allocation by stating that the funds were earmarked for celebrating the state’s developmental achievements through the ‘Keraleeyam’ programme. The ‘Keraleeyam’ celebrations took place for a week on November 1, 2023, as part of Kerala’s official observance of Kerala Piravi (Kerala Formation Day). The substantial expenditure on these celebrations amid a severe financial crisis has drawn criticism, including from the Kerala High Court.
The High Court warned that addressing people’s difficulties should take priority over celebratory programmes. The court also criticized the government, emphasizing that it is not the government’s duty to organize celebration events but to focus on fulfilling public needs. The court insisted that Ministers must understand this perspective.
Despite facing criticism from various corners for the extravagant ‘Keraleeyam’ celebration, the state Finance Minister announced the allocation of Rs 10 crores for the programme during the budget presentation for the 2024-25 financial year.
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