Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has said that the actions of some United Democratic Front (UDF) MPs are driven by a malicious intent to obstruct the funds due to Kerala.
He cited the recent query raised in Parliament whether the implementation of Kerala’s extreme poverty eradication programme would lead to a reduction in the AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) cardholders’ quota to the State.
Speaking at a meet-the-press programme at the Kollam Press club on Saturday, he added that the strategy behind this question was to bring the State’s welfare measures to the attention of the Union government, aiming to somehow block the rice allocation for the poor sections. He also pointed out that the UDF leaders’ true objective was to create obstacles and prevent the State from receiving assistance. Mr. Balagopal added that the UDF leaders were “cutting the very branch they are sitting on,” as their actions harmed the interests of their own State and its people.
Talking about the upcoming local body polls, he said that the State government and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) aimed at further strengthening the local self-government bodies by focussing on tourism development, job creation, and boosting the production sector. “The government plans to initiate joint development projects utilising the land and other facilities owned by the local bodies. As part of this, the Kollam city’s first information technology (IT) park was established in the Kollam Corporation’s KMC Mall at Andamukkam. An IT park would also be set up at the Kureepuzha garbage treatment plant after clearing the existing waste.
While ₹ 1,000 crore had been allocated for rural roads, Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) funds were made available for the modernisation of markets. The LDF should continue in power to sustain social welfare pensions and guarantee homes for all who were homeless under the LIFE Mission, he said.
Published – December 06, 2025 08:51 pm IST
