THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Union government to rectify what it called the “neglect” of the state, as reflected in the Union Budget 2026-27, and to meet Kerala’s long-standing demands. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, was adopted in the absence of the Opposition UDF, which had boycotted proceedings over the Sabarimala gold theft issue.
The resolution highlighted key demands overlooked in the budget, including the establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and approval for a high-speed rail corridor across the state. It called on the Centre to respect cooperative federalism and ensure balanced development for Kerala.
Kerala has been seeking an AIIMS for more than two decades, and the resolution noted that while land has been identified and preliminary steps taken, no action has followed from the Union government. The proposed high-speed rail corridor, covering 573 km from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, was described as vital to reducing travel time from the current 13 hours and accelerating the state’s development.
The Assembly also raised concerns over the neglect of other projects, including a coach factory, conditional support for the Vizhinjam seaport, a point-of-call facility at Kannur International Airport, and relief for Wayanad landslide victims.
On fiscal matters, the resolution noted that replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme with VB-G RAM G slashed Union assistance by 60%, cutting the state’s share from Rs 88,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore. It also warned that fiscal curbs imposed by the Centre would deprive Kerala of Rs 53,000 crore previously allocated under the 15th Finance Commission.
The resolution described the perceived neglect of Kerala’s demands as “an insult to democratic federal principles” and called for urgent intervention to ensure justice and equitable development.