Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 4 (NationPress) Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan introduced a resolution in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, operating under Rule 118, to voice profound concern and vehement protest regarding what he termed the Centre’s "persistent neglect and discriminatory" stance towards Kerala on various essential matters.

While presenting the resolution, the Chief Minister emphasized that a nation can only gain international respect when all its constituent states are secure, developed, and thriving.

He argued that undermining states would ultimately lead to national weakness.

The Constitution's three-tier governance system advocates the principle of federalism, which is currently facing systematic erosion.

Pinarayi Vijayan highlighted that Kerala’s rightful demands over the years have consistently been disregarded by the Centre, leading to widespread discontent among the populace.

The ongoing neglect towards Kerala, which has showcased internationally recognized development models, constitutes a dilution of democratic federal principles and poses serious threats to the integrity of Indian democracy.

He remarked that only through balanced regional development can national progress be achieved, warning that the recent Union Government budgets increasingly contravene this principle.

Referring to healthcare, he noted that Kerala has sought an AIIMS for over twenty years, having already secured land and completed most acquisition processes.

Despite these efforts, the Centre has remained unresponsive, with the Union Budget failing to address the issue. The Assembly unanimously urged that an AIIMS be sanctioned for Kerala without delay.

On employment, the Chief Minister pointed out that Kerala has been at the forefront of implementing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The transition of this scheme to VB-G RAM G has slashed central funding from 100% to 60%, resulting in an estimated financial loss of Rs 3,800 crore to the state.

Furthermore, the steep decline in national funding for this scheme in the 2026-27 Budget poses severe consequences for Kerala.

He also called attention to the neglect of rail infrastructure, noting that the 573-km Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod route still requires nearly 13 hours for transit.

No matter the adopted model, Kerala urgently needs a high-speed rail corridor, yet repeated requests have gone unanswered.

The proposal for a coach factory and surveys for additional railway lines have also been denied.

On infrastructure, the Chief Minister criticized the Centre's biased stance. Requests for granting “point of call” status to Kannur Airport for international airlines have been overlooked.

He accused the Centre of an inhumane approach to disaster relief, referencing insufficient compensation for the Mundakkai-Chooralmala disaster and amendments that eliminated loan write-off provisions for disaster victims.

Additionally, he pointed out significant cuts to Kerala’s borrowing limits, revenue deficit grants, IGST dues, and allocations for centrally sponsored schemes, describing these as a form of financial strangulation.

The resolution urged the Centre to promptly rectify its approach, uphold cooperative federalism, and ensure justice for Kerala in the interest of balanced national development.

Speaker A.N. Shamseer subsequently announced the resolution's passage.

However, the opposition claimed it had not been officially informed about the resolution's presentation, and prior to its reading by CM Vijayan, they had boycotted the day’s proceedings, protesting against the handling of the Sabarimala gold heist case by the Vijayan government.