The development initiatives kicked off in the capital district under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is ‘unparalleled’, Minister for Tourism and Cooperation Kadakampally Surendran has said. It took into account the future needs of the citizens and ushered in overall development of the capital, Mr. Surendran added.
“The development of the State capital has been the priority of the LDF government and it has been accorded the due importance,” the Minister said on Sunday, denying allegations that the 2020-2021 Budget presented by Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac had sidelined the capital district.
“It is true that a Thiruvananthapuram package was not announced as in the case of Kochi and other places. But, key projects for the overall development of the major sectors of the capital district had been announced and token provision made in the Budget,” the Minister said at a press conference here.
The Minister said procedural delays were leading to dragging of the projects.
Centre’s neglect
Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and district president V.V. Rajesh, the Minister said the party should burn the Prime Minister in effigy for not fulfilling the assurances given to the State in the past years and for sidelining Kerala in the 2020-2021 Union Budget.
“No Union government has neglected Kerala like this,” the Minister added.
Listing out project details, the Minister, who is in charge of the capital district, said public works to the tune of ₹1,696 crore had been included in the Budget and ₹42 crore token advance made. The development of the Kattakada township at a cost of ₹100 crore tops the list and 48 projects that cost ₹10 crore to ₹50 crore had been included in the State Budget and this would cost ₹969 crore. The Minister said the district would get its due share in the ₹1,000-crore coastal package.