Southern states say Union Budget 2025 is ‘discriminatory, biased’

Chief ministers of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on Saturday alleged that the Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was “discriminatory” and “biased” against southern states.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that while the Union Budget “should have been a financial document aimed at the whole nation’s comprehensive development”, the one presented on Saturday “reflected the Centre’s political approach of giving more focus to states going to the polls”, reported Deccan Herald.

According to Vijayan, this was “highly deplorable”.

Among the key demands by Kerala was a Rs 2,000 crore special package for rehabilitation of Wayanad landslide victims, a Rs 24,000 crore special package to tide over the fiscal stress caused by cuts in central allocations and enhancing the borrowing limit of the gross state domestic product to 3.5% from 3%.

The Union government has not heeded any of the demands apart from the increased borrowing limit.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said in a social media post that the Centre had not met even one demand put forth by the state.

“The demands are numerous … highways and railway projects, Coimbatore and Madurai Metro Rail projects,” said Stalin. “Why nothing has been given? What is stopping you?”

He added: “Tamil Nadu occupies a prominent place in all the reports of the Union Government, such…

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