3 days ago
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Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan connected Thursday (June 4, 2026) tabled a White Paper connected the fiscal presumption of Kerala successful the State Legislative Assembly.
The contents of the papers are expected to beryllium made disposable successful a abbreviated while.
K.N. Balagopal, who was Finance Minister successful the erstwhile CPI(M)-led LDF government, tabled a dissent note. Mr. Balagopal argued that the papers should person been drafted by the State Finance department, not by an outer committee arsenic successful this case.
The keenly-awaited papers is expected to intensify the heated statement betwixt the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the CPI(M)-led Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) connected the fiscal wellness of the State.
Ahead of Budget
The White Paper comes up of the presumption of the Revised State Budget connected June 19.
The program to people the White Paper was among the archetypal announcements of the caller UDF authorities which came to powerfulness successful May. On May 19, it formed a peculiar committee chaired by erstwhile Union Cabinet caput K.M. Chandrasekhar for drafting the White Paper. Economist and erstwhile Director of the Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation D. Narayana, and Professor and Director of the Centre for Development Studies C. Veeramani were members. Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) K.R. Jyothilal was the convener of the committee.
State finances person been a touchy contented ever since Mr. Satheesan, who besides handles the Finance portfolio, claimed aft the UDF’s landslide predetermination triumph that the beforehand had inherited “an bare treasury.”
LDF stance
The LDF, led by erstwhile Chief Minister and existent Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan and erstwhile Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, had countered the charge. Mr. Balagopal had argued that the State was successful a overmuch amended presumption financially. Mr. Vijayan had precocious stated that When the erstwhile LDF authorities stepped down the treasury had a currency equilibrium of ₹5,429 crore erstwhile the LDF stepped down.
During the past 10 years of LDF rule, State finances person been successful the spotlight connected relationship of the extended tussle betwixt the State and Centre implicit fiscal policy.
