Not just Centre but LDF govt’s mismanagement in tax collection reason for Kerala’s fiscal crisis: Congress

PTI, Dec 5, 2023, 7:50 PM IST

Opposition Congress in Kerala on Tuesday rejected the LDF government’s argument that the Centre’s alleged denial of allocations due to the state was the reason for its poor financial situation.

The state unit of the grand old party said it doesn’t agree with the Left dispensation’s claim that the entire economic crisis in the southern state was created by the Union government.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan told reporters that his party is strongly against any slashing of states’ share in taxes.

The Congress party had already made it clear inside and outside the Assembly, he said.

”But, we don’t agree with the argument that the entire economic crisis in Kerala was created by the Centre,” Satheesan said.

The Centre should give the due amount to the state, he said.

Pointing out the recent statements of Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the LoP said that she had made it clear that the non-submission of the utilisation certificate and audit report by the state was the reason for the delay in getting funds from the Centre.

”These all are administrative matters between the Union and the state governments. The opposition’s only objection is about the slashing of tax shares (to the state),” he further said.

Criticising the CPI (M)-led Left government, he alleged that mismanagement in tax collection was the main reason for the present fiscal crisis in Kerala.

The Congress leader also criticised the ongoing state tour by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues under Nava Kerala Yatra outreach programme.

The CM has gone for the 44-day-long trip along with the finance minister who should be in the state capital, the LoP said.

The operations at the treasury were stuck with no money to pass a cheque of even one lakh rupees, he charged.

All social security and development programmes in the state have been derailed due to the absence of respective cabinet ministers in the capital, he claimed.

The LoP also requested the CM to send at least the finance minister back to the state capital to end the ”miserable” situation.