Union Budget 2024: "Discriminatory Attitude Towards States," Says Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan
Reacting to the Union Budget 2024, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed strong disapproval, accusing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of exhibiting a discriminatory attitude towards the states, particularly Kerala. Vijayan criticised the budget for ignoring Kerala’s demands for AIIMS, disaster relief packages, and support for the tourism sector, calling it a significant oversight that undermines the aspirations of Keralites.
Vijayan emphasised that the budget’s failure to address the fiscal empowerment of states, instead imposing further financial constraints, poses a major challenge to the autonomy and development of states like Kerala. He labeled the stance of the central government as unsympathetic and discriminatory, calling for active resistance and advocacy for the rights and needs of Kerala to ensure fair consideration.
“The Budget 2024 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman exhibits a discriminatory attitude towards the states, particularly Kerala. Our genuine demands for AIIMS, disaster relief packages, and interventions for the tourism sector have been met with deafening silence. This indifference undermines the aspirations of Keralites and is deeply disheartening. While the budget includes several claims about empowering the nation through effective interventions, it glaringly omits the crucial issue of fiscal empowerment for states. Instead, there are further moves to constrain the finances of states, which poses a significant challenge to our autonomy and development. This unsympathetic and discriminatory stance must be called out and actively resisted. We stand firm in advocating for the rights and needs of Kerala and demand fair and just consideration,” Pinarayi Vijayan wrote on X.
The first budget of NDA 3.0, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, included significant allocations for centrally sponsored schemes like MGNREGS, PM Awas Yojana (Urban), and the Jal Jeevan Mission. Finance Minister Sitharaman announced financial support for loans up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions and a 12-month internship program for one crore youth in the top 500 companies over five years. Custom duties on mobile phones, accessories, and chargers were reduced to 15%, while the basic customs duty on gold, silver, and platinum was also decreased.
The budget notably focused on development in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, significant states for the ruling BJP, given the support of their key allies, JD(U) and TDP, in maintaining a majority in the Lok Sabha.
