Politics that dents the sanctity of budget, where is the Rs 5,000 crore left behind by Isaac, asks V D Satheesan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition leader V D Satheesan termed the first budget of the second Pinarayi government as a political speech. The politics that dents the sanctity of the budget happened in the assembly today. He said there is uncertainty in the figures presented in the budget.

It is insincere to say that Rs 8,900 crore will reach directly to the people. It is the responsibility of the government to pay the contract and pension arrears. Thomas Isaac had asserted that Rs 5,000 crore was left behind. Isaac said so thinking that the UDF would assume power. However, Satheesan pointed that there was no mention about that Rs 5,000 crore in the budget.

An additional expense of Rs 1,715 crore has been mentioned. Satheesan asked isn’t the Rs 20,000 crore stimulus package an additional expense. Asked how the arrears would be a stimulus package, he said the state's fiscal deficit was bigger than the government's revenue deficit. Satheesan added that the budget estimate itself is baseless.