Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (file)
| Photo Credit: PTI
Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s policy address, which marked the opening of the Budget session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Friday (January 17, 2025), appeared to signal an arguably different dynamic in the Raj Bhavan-Left Democratic Front (LDF) government relationship.
Notably, Mr. Arlekar expressed the government’s concern about experiencing “liquidity stress due to declining share of Union fiscal transfer and tapering of revenue deficit grants and cessation of GST compensation” without any apparent disquiet or frustration.
The Governor also stuck to the script and read the policy statement, striking an officially punctilious manner and tone.
Mr. Arlekar also struck an optimistic tone concerning the State’s finances. He noted that the government had highlighted the fiscal problems plaguing the State when the 16th Finance Commission visited Kerala and requested “ameliorative measures” from the Centre. “We hope for the best”, Mr. Arlekar stated.
Largely devoid of politics
On its part, the State government had kept the policy address largely devoid of politics and contentious questions about fiscal federalism and alleged jurisdictional overreach of the Central government.
It seemed not lost the ruling coalition that the former Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had kept the government on tenterhooks by objecting to some portions of draft policy addresses, including debatable reflections about the State of federalism.
In contrast, Mr. Arlekar reiterated that the government was “fully committed to upholding the constitutional values of democracy, secularism, socialism, and federalism.”
The Governor’s address, marking the opening of the 13th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly, broadcast the government’s message that the administration was committed to tangibly improving people’s lives. His speech reflected the ruling front’s interventionist approach to governance.
Priority areas
The Governor’s speech prioritised eradicating extreme poverty, providing housing and land for all, building new and sustainable infrastructure, widening the social welfare net, and investing more in education, public health, and waste management to turn Kerala into a robust knowledge economy on par with developed societies.
The Governor’s policy address also focussed on rewriting rules to thwart red tape and improve and expedite public service delivery at the village office level and beyond. It outlined the government’s commitment to further diffuse power to local bodies and the State’s commitment to protecting the rights of women, children, and marginalised sections of society.
Mr. Arlekar also stressed the government’s commitment to rehabilitating the families displaced by the landslides in Wayanad. The Governor also showcased the State’s achievements in improving citizens’ physical quality of life and significant infrastructure developments, including the Vizhinjam seaport and expediting land acquisition for national highway development.
Published – January 17, 2025 12:29 pm IST
