KOCHI: The highest contributor to the state’s tax revenue and a key driver of economic activity, Ernakulam district, has only a few projects and allocations to show for in the state budget presented on Thursday. Though the budget has proposed several tourism and IT projects, it lacks allocations for infrastructure development in the city.
The major allotments for the district include Rs 20 crore for the Kerala Technology Innovation Zone in Kochi and Rs 79 crore for the Kochi Metro Phase 2.
Rangadasa Prabhu, president of the Ernakulam District Residents Association Apex Council, said that projects required for the development of infrastructure of the city should have been included in the budget. “Ernakulam is a district with the highest floating population. And among local bodies, Kochi is the highest contributor to the exchequer. The city is in dire need of basic infrastructure development. However, there is no allocation for canal rejuvenation, Operation Breakthrough, or proposals to address the water crisis and waste management in the city,” he said.
The corporation, meanwhile, has decided to write to the finance minister requesting projects or fund allocation for infrastructure development. It is disappointing that the budget does not include proposals to boost the development potential of Kochi, said mayor V K Minimol. “The finance minister mentioned in his budget speech that district generates the highest revenue. But he did not allocate projects or amounts proportionate to that. As the financial capital of Kerala, Kochi should have received more support. Considering climate change and development challenges, we expected a special economic package,” she alleged.
The 2025-26 budget allocated funds for projects, including canal rejuvenation and Operation Breakthrough in Kochi. “There are no allocations for major roads, including the Atlantis Overbridge, Vathuruthy Overbridge, Nalpathadi Road, and Goshree Mamangalam stretches.”
Experts also raised concerns about allocation for the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) and Kochi Metro Phase 2. “Though established five years ago, KMTA is yet to be fully functional. The allocation of `3 crore is inadequate for its revival. The requirements of Kochi should have been taken into consideration,” said Dr D Dhanuraj, chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research.