Centre asked state govt to discontinue welfare schemes to reduce fiscal deficit: Vijyayan

Kochi (Kerala) [India], January 17 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday alleged that the Centre asked the state government to discontinue welfare schemes in order to reduce fiscal deficit.
While speaking at the inauguration of the 60th anniversary of the Kerala NGO Union at Kochi, Vijayan said, "They (Union government) are asking us to abolish welfare schemes in Kerala to reduce the fiscal deficit. We can not do that."
Kerala CM also accused the Central government of "squeezing" the state financially.
"Corporates are flourishing in the country as the number of billionaires has increased. However, India ranks 131 on the global poverty index. The poor have no place in the eyes of the previous Congress government and the current BJP government. Today's governance is for the corporates. There must be an alternative to such things and Kerala government is trying to do that. The Centre Government is squeezing Kerala financially so as not to implement the alternative."
Vijayan also alleged the BJP-led union government of taking away the rights earned by the workers in favour of the corporates and highlighted severe unemployment rate in the country.
"About 90 crore people of working age are unemployed. The country is in such a serious situation. The central government is not providing employment and non-recruitment by them has left around 10 lakh posts vacant. Only 0.33 per cent of those who applied for jobs got employment in the last eight years," he said.
Apart from the Central Government, Vijayan criticised the civil service sector of the state and advised people's representatives and the civil servants to work unitedly.
"People's representatives and civil servants who are obliged to serve the people should move forward with one mind. Civil service in Kerala lacks the efficiency of many other states. The change we were hoping for has not happened yet," Kerala CM said.
Stressing on the severity of the situation, Vijayan said, "Kerala cannot claim the superiority of civil service. There is something wrong with it. Civil servants should reflect this in their service to the people. It should be shown in case of settlement of files and the matter should be looked upon seriously." (ANI)