Kerala, which had expected packages for many of its long-proposed projects, was left disappointed after the 2025 Budget Presentation held on Saturday in the Parliament. Most of the state’s demands were left untouched by the Budget tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Reacting to the Budget 2025 , state finance minister Balagopal said that the state was not given adequate regard.

Among the key expectations of the state was a Rs 2000 crore package for the rehabilitation process in landslide-hit Wayanad, a Rs 24,000 crore economic package, and a Rs 5,000 crore special assistance for the Vizhinjam port, which all went unheard in the budget.

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Kerala Finance Minister Balagopal had earlier expressed hope that the budget will address the concern of the state. Stating that an emphatic decision is expected, the minister had pointed out that no assistance was provided so far despite the Wayanad landslide being a major disaster.

The much-longed-for demand, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-equivalent facility, was also not found in the budget.

The state has featured a special economic package to tackle the current liquidity crisis and the assistance for the Vizhinjam port project in its wish list for the budget.

Kerala had also requested a special assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for handling human-wildlife conflict and Rs 4,500 crore for building climate resilience, which were all not addressed. Further, the state’s demand for the SilverLine semi-high-speed rail system and the International Research Institute in Ayurveda in Kannur were sidelined.

However, the tax cut, the decision to expand the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), and the move to extend the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) to 2028 with an expanded outlay are expected to help the state.

The state finance minister had alleged that Kerala faced a significant cut in central allocations, noting that it is now getting only half of what it used to. He had demanded special packages for various projects, including Wayanad rehabilitation, Vizhinjam Port, and infrastructure development, among others.