KOZHIKODE: After a section of the UDF MLAs openly criticising the ‘correction budget’ presented by K M Mani the other day, two LDF MLAs from Kozhikode — former Industries Minister Elamaram Kareem and A Pradeepkumar, have expressed their deep displeasure over the budget.Beypore MLA Elamaram Kareem said the budget has completely neglected the Malabar region, especially Kozhikode district. Many important projects announced by former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac to boost the development of north Malabar met a premature death with the non-inclusion of those projects in the ‘correction budget’. Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, Elamaram Kareem said the most disappointing fact is that Mani has not included the North-South Superfast Rail Corridor Project, announced by former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, in the budget. A budgetary allocation of `20 crore had been made by the former government for the feasibility study of this project. The MLA further said the finance minister has not made any fund allocations for the land acquisition process for the development of Karipur Airport. Isaac had announced to repair 10 state highways in the last budget. But the new finance minister has not mentioned it in the budget. While, A Pradeep Kumar MLA said the district has not got the consideration it deserved in the budget despite the representation of three MLAs from the district. Many of the projects at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital mentioned by Minister for Social Welfare and Panchayats Dr M K Muneer at a press conference the other day were not there in the budget. The office of the finance minister might have misguided M K Muneer about the projects, he said. The MLA further said though `5 crore was proposed to be set aside for the Zamorin Tower, the finance minister announced only `25 lakh for the project during the budget.
Comments
0 comment