THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: How does Kerala spend its tax revenue? It’s not a secret nowadays that just a fraction of this money is being spent on public welfare and the lion’s share on salary and pension liabilities.
On Friday, a debate is being organised to discuss this situation which has pushed the state into a deep debt trap. Former Finance Minister and CPM leader T M Thomas Isaac will inaugurate the debate which is being organised by ‘The People’ at the Press Club at 10.15 a.m. In a statement, ‘The People’ co-ordinator Advocate V C Sebastian said that the state’s public debt stands at a stunning Rs 1,13,910 crore. Which means, every Keralite owes Rs 33,802.
“During the last ten years, the income of farmers has slipped by half. The tax that we have to pay doubles every five years. But the beneficiaries are only the government employees and pensioners who number less than ten lakhs,” he said.
Prof Mary George, member, Kerala State Expenditure Review Committee, will present the topic. Planning Board member A Vijayaraghavan, NGO Union state general secretary T C Mathukutty and NGO Association former state president Kottathala Mohanan will be among those present. Kanjirappally Bishop Mar Mathew Arackal will preside over the function.
