THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced in a press conference that the Left Front and the state government will hold a strong protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on February 8 against the bad policies of the central government. Some are trying to simplify the protest into a convention, and it will be resisted. When there is a protest, there must be an inaugurating party and speakers. For that, some non-BJP chief ministers and some party leaders were invited. AICC President Kharge has also been invited but there is no guarantee that he will attend.

It was decided to conduct a collective strike involving all the legislators, people's representatives and organization workers of the state. The Chief Minister said that it could not be done as the opposition stepped away.

The state makes fiscal policy with a five-year plan. If it is suddenly cut due to central government pressure, it will cause financial stress in the state. This is what happened in Kerala. A reduction in the proportion of tax resources owed to states and the cessation of GST compensation became a setback.

51.55 crore in urban local self-government grant, 137.17 crore in health grant, 660.34 crore in performance grant to local bodies, 54 crore as central share in school mid-day meal programme, 750 crore in grant from the centre due to implementation of UGC salary revision for college teachers, 792 crore in paddy procurement and 61 crore rupees as part of the implementation of the Security Act are yet to be received.

Kerala's credit limit was reduced by bringing the credit of independent institutions under the state's limit. Due to this, the credit limit has decreased by Rs. 6,000 crore. Kerala has been asked to pay 25 percent amount to acquire land for the development of National Highway 66. 5,854 crore has been raised through KIIFB for this purpose. The Centre has taken the position of deducting this amount from the borrowing limit of the state.

Out of 3,71,934 houses constructed as part of the Life housing scheme till January 22, only 1,13,010 houses (30.38%) received nominal central assistance. The Union Finance Ministry has taken a stand that if the name of the central scheme is not displayed in these houses, even that small assistance of the central government will not be given. This is an attack on the self-respect of the house owner and the state government is not ready for it, the Chief Minister said.