Kerala seeks special virus package amidst NRK influx

KOCHI: Kerala would request for a special COVID package from the union government in view of the issues faced by the state following an influx of Non-resident Keralites who lost their employment in Gulf countries, according to Minister for Finance KN Balagopal.

“The peculiar situation Kerala is undergoing will be taken up with the Centre as a large number of the expat population was forced to return home due to COVID. Also, the plantation sector in the state is under severe financial distress.

“During the meeting with prime minister na rend ra Modi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had taken up the issues.

“All MPS from Kerala should jointly take up the matter,” Balagopal said while replying to a query in the Assembly on Thursday.

Due to various challenges including the COVID induced lockdown, Balagopal said the state is reeling under a serious financial crisis in the current financial year too.

“The COVID pandemic has severely affected tax and non-tax revenue collection. But as a duty of the government we are carrying out various welfare schemes for people hit hard by the pandemic.

“Short term and long term plans have been devised and a stimulus package of Rs20, 000 crore was already declared in the budget,” the minister told the Assembly.

Around 14 lakh expatriates have returned to Kerala, of which about 10 lakh have lost their jobs due to COVID-19, Balagopal said.

In his rejoinder, Congress MLA PC Vishnunath alleged that the stimulus package of about Rs10, 000 crores was used to pay the pending bills of contractors and used to meet committed expenditure. Replying to his query, Balagopal said even money given to contractors would be coming in the market. “The government through the package has declared subsidised loans to various sectors. Through interest subvention scheme, the government has helped industries, traders and MSMES. Government will continue this,” he said. Also on Thursday, Kerala reported 22,064 new COVID cases and 16,649 recoveries. With this, the number of active COVID cases in the state rose to 154,820. The test positivity rate (TPR) in the state is 13.53.