Union Budget primarily provides assistance to backward states; Kerala will get more assistance if it declares itself as backward state, says Union Minister George Kurian

NEW DELHI: Union Minister George Kurian has made a controversial statement against Kerala while justifying the Union Budget presented by Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday. Reacting to the criticism of Kerala leaders against the budget, George Kurian said that the union budget primarily provides assistance to backward states. He added that Kerala would receive more aid if it officially declared itself as a backward state. His remarks came in response to a question regarding the absence of financial assistance for Wayanad in the Union Budget.

"Let Kerala announce that it is backward in comparison to other states in terms of education, social development, and infrastructure. In that case, a commission will review the situation and submit a report to the central government. Currently, the primary focus is on the development of states in the eastern region. AIIMS is not announced in the budget; once the state government completes the necessary procedures, AIIMS will be allotted based on priority," George Kurian said.

In the budget presented today by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, several significant benefits were announced for states, including Bihar, where assembly elections are approaching. However, Kerala’s demands were rejected in the budget, a move that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticized. He condemned the Union Budget's approach as highly objectionable.