Ernakulam (Kerala) [India], November 1 (ANI): Kerala Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan on Wednesday slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government for organising an "extravagant" 'Keraleeyam 2023' while the state is undergoing the "biggest debt crisis" in its history.
"Keralam is a proud feeling but 'Keraleeyam' means extravagant. Kerala is in the biggest debt crisis in the history of the state. What is the purpose of conducting Keraleeyam for 27 crore rupees?" VD Satheesan asked in a press conference here.
"The financial condition of Supplyco and KSRTC(Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) is very pathetic. Supplyco has not even paid for the kit distribution during the Covid period. 40,000 crore liability to KSEB ( Kerala State Electricity Board) exists. The Life Mission project is stalled due to a lack of money. Crores of rupees are allocated for Keraleeyam when a situation such as this is prevailing" he added.
He argued that Kerala would not have been in this situation if taxes had been collected correctly.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday inaugurated the 'Keraleeyam 2023' program on the 67th formation day of Kerala at the central stadium of the state capital.
Cabinet ministers, diplomatic representatives of the UAE, South Korea, Norway, and Cuba, film stars Kamal Haasan, and Mohanlal, and prominent industrialists participated in the program.
Keraleeyam is a week-long celebration of Kerala. It will be held from November 1 to November 7 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The event is organized by the Government of Kerala.
Keraleeyam is an annual event designed to showcase the world-class features of Kerala to the global community.
Each year, Keraleeyam is organized to commemorate the respective year, featuring discussions on Kerala's achievements, challenges faced across various sectors, and future prospects. It will also include exhibitions highlighting the state's unique resources, cultural heritage, agro-industrial progress, and technological accomplishments. This program serves as a platform to introduce Kerala's development models to the world and assimilate new ideas from the global academic arena. (ANI)