Minister of State for Labour and Employment and MSME, Shobha Karandlaje, has urged the Kerala government to make effective use of the welfare and development programmes offered by the Central government. She pointed out that substantial financial assistance is being extended to Kerala, and that the allocation has been steadily increasing every year.
The Minister called for a comparison between the current Central allocation to Kerala and the situation a decade ago. She noted that Kerala’s share of central taxes has increased to Rupees 36,355 crore this year. In addition, loans and advances to the Kerala government amount to Rupees 21,077 crore, while grants in aid have doubled to Rupees 26,500 crore this year.
Shobha Karandlaje also highlighted several key Central schemes related to coconut cultivation, cocoa, tourism, and fisheries exports, stating that these initiatives are highly beneficial to Kerala. She pointed out that nearly 10 lakh people in Kerala depend on coconut cultivation, and said the high-density coconut farming scheme would significantly benefit farmers.
The Minister appealed to the state government not to mix politics with development, stressing that welfare schemes should be implemented purely in the interest of the people.
