Kochi: Kerala’s budget for 2024-25 has focused on attracting private investment to revive the serious financial crisis of the state. The government is aiming to attract an investment of Rs 3 lakh crore in the next three years through areas like tourism, Vizhinjam and Cochin Ports, development of industrial corridors of Kochi, Palakkad and Kannur, Finance Minister K N Balagopal said.
Flaying the Centre for discrimination, he said for every Rs 100 collected as tax, Kerala gets only Rs 21 from the center which gives Uttar Pradesh Rs 46. Presenting his fourth budget, Balagopal said revenue prediction for the period is Rs 1,38,655 crore and expenditure of Rs 1,84,327 crore showing a deficit of Rs 27,846 crore, which is 2.12 per cent of the state’s GDP. The fiscal deficit is pegged at Rs 44,529 crore, which is 3.4 per cent of the GDP.
The minister said the government will continue with the proposed K-Rail project.
