KOCHI: The Budget 2025-26 has brought to the fore a very big reality - that Kerala is getting urbanised. Hence, better planning and improvement of urban infrastructure have become the need of the hour. Big plans have been devised in the budget to cater to the development of big cities like Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
As per the budget, a detailed proposal would be formulated to aid the urban local governments and their consortia to raise an amount of Rs 1,000 crore through floating Municipal Bonds, Green Bonds and Pooled Municipal Bonds. These funds so mobilised can be used to implement projects like IT parks, Commercial Centres, Roads, Waste Management and Water Supply Schemes.
In a big step towards improving the facilities in the big cities, Metropolitan Planning Committees will be formed in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
Schemes will be formulated in line with the recommendations of the Urban Commission which was formed to identify the unique issues faced by urban areas. As part of improving travel facilities in big cities, it has been decided to introduce metro rail systems in due course of time. The allocation of funds for the development of infrastructure at Technopark (Rs 21 crore) at Thiruvananthapuram, Infopark (Rs 21.60 crore) at Kochi and Rs 11.50 for Cyber Park at Kozhikode will play a big role in urbanisation.