THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other ministers are preparing for their next foreign trip even though the state is in a financial crisis unlike never before. Ministers are planning to go on their next tour when where there is no money to even fill fuel in police jeeps. It is reported that the new trip is in the name of regional conferences of the world Kerala sabha.

Two sub-committees have been formed under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary for the meetings. Preliminary information is that the regional conferences will be held in America in June and in Saudi Arabia in September. The leader of the opposition accused that they are making a mockery of the people by going abroad when the state is in such a severe economic crisis. Chief Minister has allocated Rs 125 crores for the second anniversary of Kerala government, even when the state is going through a financial problem.

According to the reports given by Finance Minister KN Balagopal last December, there is going to be a revenue shortfall of Rs 40,000 crore in Kerala this year. In this year's budget estimate, the government is expected to earn Rs 1,73,000 crore from various sectors. Not getting Rs 40,000 crore means losing almost a quarter of the expected revenue. Needless to say, this amount is not so insignificant and the government is going for unnecessary expenses when such a crisis is in play.