Kerala funds 2022: Raw deal for Kasargod, funds lower by 40 p.c
Express News Service
KASARGOD: Finance minister Okay N Balagopal’s funds for 2022-2023 has left Kasaragod’s legislators fuming.
The shocker got here when the minister slashed the allocation for Kasaragod Development Package by 40%. He earmarked Rs 75 crore for the Kasaragod Development Package, a particular fund for the event of the backward district.
Last 12 months, T M Thomas Isaac had allotted Rs 125 crore, and earlier than that Rs 91 crore was allotted for the fund.
To be certain, the particular officer for Kasaragod Development Package had despatched a proposal for initiatives value Rs 250 crore to the finance minister as a part of the pre-budget session.
The focus of the proposal was on creating infrastructure to advertise small companies, value-added agriculture merchandise, ecological restoration, water conservation, growing well being infrastructure, and initiatives fisheries and animal husbandry. “With just Rs 75 crore, the development of the district would be severely affected,” mentioned an official.
Manjeshwar MLA, A Okay M Ashraf mentioned the Balagopal’s funds stopped at Kannur. “For a district where 21 people lost their lives during covid lockdown because they could not access hospitals in Mangaluru, this budget has nothing for its health infrastructure,” mentioned Ashraf.
The 5 MLAs of the district are depending on the package deal to implement developmental initiatives, he mentioned.
Kasaragod MLA N A Nellikkunnu mentioned he was not anticipating a lot from a authorities that all the time claims to haven’t any cash. “Kasaragod should feel lucky to get Rs 75 crore from the government,” he mentioned.
Rs 17 crore for endosulfan programmes
The finance minister earmarked Rs 17 crore for the ‘Comprehensive Endosulfan Package, down from Rs 19 crore put aside final 12 months by Issac. Balagopal mentioned 80% of the fund or Rs 13.60 crore can be “beneficial to women” survivors. That leaves solely Rs 3.4 crore for male survivors of endosulfan.
The funds can also be mum on compensating the survivors of endosulfan. In January 2017, the Supreme Court ordered the state authorities to provide Rs 5 lakh every to all of the 6,728 endosulfan survivors in three months. Since then, the survivors have filed two contempt of courtroom petitions within the apex courtroom as a result of the state authorities just isn’t performing on the order.
The state authorities had partially paid the compensation to a number of the survivors however it can want one other Rs 217.06 crore to compensate all of the survivors, mentioned Kanhangad MLA E Chandrasekharan. “I will be writing to the finance minister on finding the funds to compensate the survivors,” he mentioned.
On slashing the allocation for Kasaragod Development Package, the previous Revenue Minister mentioned he did know the explanation for that. “I will be taking the matter up with the minister,” he mentioned.
The funds additionally doesn’t earmark funds for the Endosulfan Rehabilitation Village to be constructed at Muliyar
.
Last week, the minister for self-government and excise M V Govindan mentioned the development of the rehabilitation centre would start on April 7. The Oommen Chandy authorities had put aside Rs 5 crore for the mission.
ULCCS Ltd, which is constructing the centre, had made a plan for Rs 54.75 crore in 2014-15. As six years have handed since then, the corporate had requested the Social Justice Department to upwardly revise the estimate. But the division had rejected it.
But the mission finds no point out within the funds.
Industry in Kasaragod
Kasaragod MLA N A Nellikkunnu welcomed the finance minister’s resolution to put aside Rs 2.5 crore to start out a brand new trade on the 1.99-acre plot of KSIDC on Beach Road in Kasaragod city.
The plot in the midst of the city was residence to Astral Watches Limited, a public sector firm that grew to become defunct in 2002.
Nellikkunnu had petitioned the industries minister P Rajeeve to start out a brand new enterprise on the plot. The finance minister, nonetheless, didn’t point out what sort of trade can be arrange there.
Air-strip in Kasaragod
The long-proposed air-strips in Idukki, Wayanad, and Kasaragod are nonetheless in a conceptual stage, mentioned the finance minister. He has earmarked Rs 4.51 crore for getting ready Detailed Project Reports and buying land.
200 days of assured job for tribespeople
A brand new scheme, Kerala Tribal Plus, is being launched in Kasaragod, Kannur, Wayanad, Palakkad, and Idukki districts to provide 100 extra days of jobs to tribespeople underneath the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment. So, they’ll get 200 days of assured jobs. The finance minister put aside Rs 35 crore for the programme.
