THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will raise the salaries of its contract and daily wage workers by 5%. This was among the additional allocations announced by Finance Minister K N Balagopal during the budget discussion on Wednesday.
Besides this, a Rs 500 hike was announced in the monthly remuneration for ‘ayahs’ in pre-primary schools. A Rs 1,000 wage increase was also announced for scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) promoters. The lump-sum grant for SC and ST students was increased by 10% and Rs 30 crore was allocated for purchasing medicines for spinal muscular atrophy patients. The government also sanctioned Rs 2 crore for the international yoga research centre in Kannur.
The minister said the budget size, or total expenditure, of the government would touch Rs 1.95 lakh crore in the current fiscal. This, despite the Centre effecting a cut of Rs 6,000 crore in the state’s net borrowing ceiling. The budget size in the last year of the first Pinarayi Vijayan government was Rs 1.32 lakh crore. This increased to Rs 1.62 lakh crore in the first year of second Pinarayi government.
After stagnating for three years, it rose to Rs 1.73 lakh crore last year. Balagopal said he was particularly proud of the fact that he was able to raise both revenue and expenditure by Rs 22,000 crore in one year.
For the first time, the government has made an allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the MGNREGA programme. The budget has been devised meticulously so that the salary hike and DA arrears of government employees can be implemented in time, the minister said.
Balagopal recalled how his appointment as finance minister had come as a surprise, adding that he was able to take things forward because of the support of the chief minister and other cabinet colleagues. “I exercised control in certain matters. This would have irked some ministers. I always say things that can be achieved,” he added.
Additional allocations
Raising Vishwakarma pension from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000
Rs 10 crore to help jobless cashew workers
Rs 25 lakh for formation of Kerala State Design Council
Rs 1 crore for Kannur Haj camp
Rs 2 crore for Sukumar Azhikode study centre
Rs 2 crore for a study on extending Sabari rail to Thiruvananthapuram