KERALA PROMISES A WAY OUT OF FISCAL DISTRESS

KERALA is ready for a take-off, claimed state finance minister K N Balagopal while presenting the budget for 202526.

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It better be, given how its economy has stagnated all these years, primarily owing to a lack of initiatives, foresight and other factors such as the new national tax regime and the pandemic-induced distress. Balagopal said Kerala has overcome the fiscal constraints that curbed its development and is ready to embark on a phase of rapid growth. After successive years of fiscal distress, the finance minister's words should be a relief, if only the numbers he presented matched his optimistic view and the ground realities were better reflected in the budget estimates. There are indeed some positives in the budget, but it lacks clarity when it comes to financial goals.