Thiruvananthapuram: The Legislative Assembly on Friday passed a resolution against the Centre's alleged neglect towards the state and urged it to desist from withholding funds and restricting borrowing limits. It urged the Centre to refrain from its anti-democratic practice of treating states as its subordinates.
The resolution, moved by finance minister KN Balagopal, was passed unanimously in the absence of the Opposition members, who had earlier staged a walkout.
The resolution moved under Rule 118 stated that losses were suffered after state's share of grants was decided by the 15th Finance Commission and the Centre even slashed the state's borrowing limits with retrospective effect from 2020-21, ignoring the commission's recommendations. The Centre's initiative has struck the federal system, it added.
The resolution further stated that the Constitution guarantees administrative powers to the state government so the Centre should withdraw from restricting the borrowing limits and slashing grants. It has also asked the Centre to stop its anti-democratic approach of seeing the states as subordinate elements. It mentioned that the Centre has absolute power in matters of the Union list but the state has authority in issues included in the state list.
It has also reminded the Centre that states run social welfare schemes across the country while a major portion of the revenue goes to the Government of India.
Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had criticised the interim Budget alleging that Kerala's interests have been left neglected. The resolution was passed today ahead of a protest march that is scheduled from Kerala House to Jantar Mantar in New Delhi against Centre's policies on February 8.
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