Union Minister George Kurian has sparked controversy by stating that Kerala must declare itself backward in education, infrastructure, and social welfare to receive increased funding from the Centre. Speaking to reporters in the national capital, Kurian explained that if Kerala acknowledges its shortcomings by officially declaring its backward status, the Finance Commission would then assess the state’s needs and recommend a special financial package. His comments came on the heels of harsh criticism from local leaders—including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and state Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal—who accused the union budget of neglecting Kerala’s financial requirements, such as a requested ₹24,000 crore special package and additional funds for Wayanad rehabilitation.
The minister’s remarks have drawn sharp responses from various quarters, with the CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan retorting that the Centre’s approach appears to favor keeping Kerala in a backward state—a notion that he firmly rejects. As the debate intensifies, local leaders maintain that the state’s development needs have been overlooked by the central government, and they continue to demand that Kerala’s demands be addressed in future fiscal policies.
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