Rs 20K crore COVID relief in Kerala govt’s budget
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala announced a Rs 20,000 crore revival package and allocated Rs 1,500 crore for free vaccination in its ‘health oriented’ budget on Friday, while not imposing any fresh taxes.
Special loan schemes for financial rejuvenation,relief package for conservation and infrastructure improvement in the coastal areas and significant allocation to address extreme poverty also found a place in the first budget of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government for 2021-22 fiscal. While the oppositionCongress-led UDF flayed the maiden budget of the Vijayan government as a “political stunt”, the BJP-NDA dubbed it as a “disappointment”.
Presenting the budget and vote on account in the assembly, Finance Minister KN Balagopal said the government was compelled to adopt a firm stance, “health first” or “health above all” as its vision for development in the present circumstances.
A six-pronged strategy was announced to tide over the pandemic-induced ‘’health emergency’’ in Kerala and prepare it to fight against the possible third wave of the virus infection in future. A first-time legislator, Balagopal said though the budget presented by his predecessor T M Thomas Isaac early this year was a comprehensive one, the government came up with a ‘revised budget’ now in view of the rapid spread of the coronavirus and concerns about its possible third wave. “A second COVID package of Rs 20,000 crore is announced now to address the health, social and economic challenges that are emerging in the backdrop of the second wave,” he said.In the beginning of the pandemic, the previous LDF government had declared a package amounting to Rs 20,000 crore to help those who were suffering from the adverse impact of the Covid lockdown. Under the present package, Rs 2,800 crore has been earmarked to tackle the health emergency, Rs 8,990 crore was set aside for direct disbursement to those facing crisis after losing their livelihood, while another Rs 8,300 crore to boost the economy by giving loans and interest subsidies to the needy.