KANNUR: CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan has defended Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) fund allocations to Kannur, saying they were aimed at serving Keralam’s long-term development interests, following a report that the district received a disproportionate share of the funds, particularly for land acquisition.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Vipulikrita (extended) CPM Kannur District Committee meeting on Sunday, Vijayan said KIIFB had allocated approximately Rs 1 lakh crore for various projects across Keralam. He said governments must plan not only for present needs and the immediate future but also for the years ahead.
Vijayan said land acquisition was necessary to ensure the timely implementation of development projects and that the land acquired in Kannur could be put to effective use. He pointed out that, among the state's four airports, Kannur Airport was the only one where the required land was available in the surrounding area for further development.
He added that the availability of land near the airport had made it possible to move ahead with projects more quickly. While the government had planned to establish IT parks at various locations across the state, the availability of land in Kannur offered an opportunity to implement such projects at a faster pace.
Vijayan maintained that the allocation of funds and land acquisition should be viewed in the broader context of Kerala's long-term development rather than as a benefit extended to a particular district.
The former CM added that KIIFB had helped Keralam make significant progress in a sector where many had believed such development was beyond the state's reach. He said the achievement had attracted widespread attention but was now being misrepresented.
Vijayan stressed that such matters should be viewed with the seriousness they deserved.