Union Budget 2026-27: Congress MPs Tharoor, Venugopal say "nothing concrete" allocated for poll-bound Kerala

New Delhi [India], February 1 (ANI): Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday expressed disappointment that Kerala has not figured prominently in the Union Budget 2026-27.
Shortly after the Budget presentation by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Tharoor told reporters in Parliament complex, "Details are very few, only 3-4 few headlines. We were waiting for the All-India Institute of Ayurveda. Where is it? We wanted this in Kerala. But we didn't hear the name of Kerala, which has a long tradition of Ayurveda."
"Kerala is the largest coconut-producing state. In fisheries, too, there should be some benefit for us. On ship repairing, when Varanasi and Patna were mentioned, I did not hear anything about Kerala. This is a little surprising. However, there may be more details in the Budget document. I have yet to read it, the Budget speech, though, had very few details," Tharoor said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader KC Venugopal said that, despite Kerala contributing significantly to sectors such as tourism, aviation, and health, no concrete allocation has been made for the State.
"This budget is a total disappointment for Kerala. For the last 10 years, promises have been made about the AIIMS for Kerala, but there is no mention of it in this budget," the Lok Sabha MP from Alapuzha in Kerala said.
"The announcements made, including one corridor for mineral resources, seem targeted at others. This budget is not for the common people; it is for big corporates," Venugopal said.
Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, announced a Coconut Promotion Scheme, expected to provide a boost to coconut-growing states in the country.
Sitharaman said the scheme will focus on major coconut-growing states and include measures such as replacing non-productive trees with new, high-yielding saplings. She also announced a dedicated programme for Indian cashew and cocoa with the objective of making India self-reliant in raw cashew and coconut production and processing, while enhancing export competitiveness. The Union Minister also said that the Centre will partner with state governments to promote targeted cultivation and post-harvest processing to revive the Indian sandalwood ecosystem.
In her Budget speech today, the Finance Minister further announced the establishment of turtle trails along key nesting sites in the coastal areas of Odisha, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Earlier today, speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex before the presentation of the Union Budget, the Congress leader from Kerala and former Union Minister had flagged the issue of unemployment, saying, "jobless growth does not help anyone." He said he was looking forward to hearing the Finance Minister's remarks on unemployment.
"The Economic Survey presents good economic growth, but a problem for young people in this country is whether the growth will be accompanied by jobs. Jobless growth does not help anyone. We are eager to see what schemes they have in mind. In Kerala, with elections approaching, we are keen to see what benefits the Central government might provide. Until the Budget is presented, it is difficult to talk," Tharoor said.
Meanwhile, in her Budget speech, FM Sitharaman proposed establishing dedicated rare earth corridors in Kerala, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu to reduce India's dependence on imports and strengthen domestic capabilities in critical minerals.
She said that the Centre would "support mineral-rich states to promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing of rare earth elements and permanent magnets."
Incidentally, both Kerala and Tamil Nadu are scheduled to hold Assembly elections this year.
Sitharman, in her speech, proposed developing three birdwatching trails along the Pulicat Lake on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border.
She also announced the development of mountain, turtle, and birdwatching trails. "India has the potential and opportunity to offer world-class trekking and hiking experiences. We will develop ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu Kashmir, Arakku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and Podhigai Malai in the Western Ghats."
Podhigai Malai falls in both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while Arakky Valley is situated in Andhra Pradesh and is famed for its coffee. (ANI)