Kerala assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes during budget presentation with Congress-led opposition staging a walk out alleging leakage of the document in the social media.
The budget, presented by Finance Minister Thomas Issac, focused on infrastructure development, strengthening of social welfare measures, steps to enhance safety of women, giving impetus to public education and health. It is the second budget by the ruling CPI(M)-led lDF after it came to power last year.
Trouble started as the nearly three-hour-long budget presentation reached its final stages, when Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala stood up and waved a set of papers alleging that the budget proposal was already available in social media even before being presented.
Taken aback by the sudden development Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said budget details have not been leaked. But he assured the Opposition that their charge would be looked into.
"When budget is being presented, what has already been tabled, it might have come in the social media and other media. We will examine what has happened", he said.
Intervening on the matter, Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan said, "It is serious issue and we will look into it and make statement in the House later".
Cutting short the presentation due to opposition sloganeering, Finance Minister Issac said "I have not seen what has come in the social media. I cannot give a reply without knowing what has happened".
Seizing of the matter, Chennithala said the budget has been "leaked and its sanctity lost".
He also alleged that the papers have been leaked from Finance Minister's office itself as "he is very active in social media."
UDF Opposition members, Kerala Congress(M) led by former Finance Minister K M Mani and lone BJP member O Rajagopal walked out of the House in protest against the alleged leak.
The budget, presented for the year 2017-18, showed a total revenue of Rs 93,584.74 crore and revenue expenditure of Rs 10,96,27.88 crore.
Thomas Isaac said Kerala was fully ready to implement GST, which was "advantageous" to the state.
The state GST law would be passed in the assembly session to be convened next month for passing the budget and the demand for grants, he said.
The budget proposed an infrastructure investment worth Rs 25,000 crore and said "it will be the highest investment project in the history of Kerala.
"Isaac, while giving details of the economic slowdown felt due to the demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500, said this investment will be "the most effective defence against the recession during the period of demonetisation.
"A total of Rs 5628 crore has been earmarked for the construction and repair of 182 roads across the state, considered as one of the major infrastructure initiatives.
In tune with the ruling CPI(M)-led lDF's election manifesto, the budget unveiled different schemes for improving basic amenities of public schools in the state.
Another major initiative in the social sector was the proposal to provide free-internent connection to 20 lakh poor households.
Admitting that there was a spurt in the prices of essential commodities especially rice due to the implementation of National Food Security Act, Isaac said a total of Rs 900 crore was earmarked for ration subsidy and Rs 700 crore for paddy procurement.
An amount of Rs 450 crore was set apart for the open market intervention to check the price rise.
In a bid to tap the NRI investments in the state, he said the Kerala State Financial Enterprises would come out with 'Pravasi (NRI) Chitty' through bonds.
The amount would be utilised for the construction of coastal and high range highway with a total outlay of Rs 10,000 crore, he said.
The Finance Minister also announced an increase in the pension amount to Rs 2000 from Rs 500 of expatriates who returned home.
An amnesty scheme for traders to settle their tax arrears, with affect from 2005-06 to 2010-11, was announced.
To help rubber traders, the budget proposed to exempt natural rubber and its variants from tax for the period from December 20, 2014 to March 31,2015.
Seeking to encourage 'Akshay Urja Scheme' which promotes the utilisation of renewable energy, the budget fixed the tax rate for the installation of solar devices at 1 per cent, he said.
The budget, presented for the year 2017-18, showed a total revenue of Rs 93,584.74 crore and revenue expenditure of Rs 10,96,27.88 crore. About one lakh houses would be built for homeless people during 2018.