THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister K N Balagopal has urged the Union government to release the funds due to all states without imposing conditions, asserting that withholding them affects the rights of both states and citizens.
Speaking to the media, the minister said the issue surrounding the PM SHRI scheme was not about the fund alone but about matters that directly impact students and teachers. “It is not right to insist that we sign the PM SHRI agreement in order to receive funds under other central schemes,” he said.
Balagopal reiterated that the state government would firmly protect the state’s financial and constitutional rights.
“We have our political stance. The state’s rights are the people’s rights, and the government will stand by them,” he added. He noted that Kerala has fought more cases against the Centre in the Supreme Court than any other state.
“The Centre has repeatedly taken a position that financially strangles Kerala by withholding its rightful share of funds,” he alleged.
Meanwhile, the minister announced that the 25th anniversary of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) will be celebrated on November 4. He said KIIFB has played a major role in implementing key infrastructure projects across the state.
“KIIFB has spent `126 crore on projects in Sabarimala alone and funded the completion of the Chellanam seawall,” he said. The minister added that the institution’s interventions have helped Kerala avoid power cuts for the past decade.