Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Friday unveiled the State government's policy for 2022-23 that envisions over 10% growth in gross state domestic product (GSDP) during the fiscal and places thrust on expansion of agriculture and e-governance and promotion of a favourable climate for industrial growth.
The Governor's policy address to the Assembly, which marks the customary start to the Budget session but this time made amid a noisy boycott by the Opposition UDF, reiterated the State's financial concerns arising from the cessation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation after June and an impending reduction in the revenue deficit grant.
The policy address was staunchly critical of the Central government's stand on sharing tax revenues with the States, while underscoring the need to recognise cooperative federalism as ''our common, desirable goal.''
''On account of the GST compensation ceasing to exist after June this year, we may further lose about ₹10,000 crore to ₹12,000 crore,'' the Governor said. The policy address wanted the Centre to discontinue the practice of drafting laws on subjects in the State and concurrent lists without consulting the States.
At the same time, it highlighted the State government's plans for paradigm shifts in core sectors like agriculture and roll-out of new, digitally-enabled initiatives such as predictive model governance.
While revenues dipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the State is expected to make a sharp recovery in economic growth to over 10% growth in GSDP in 2022-23 with the revival of economic activity, fiscal consolidation measures such as rationalisation of expenditure and recovery in revenue collection, including GST, the policy address noted..
For boosting industry, the government aims to launch the Private Industrial Park Scheme, allowing private individuals to set up parks with government assistance. To guarantee responsible investments and industries, a new programme based on environmental social governance (ESG) will be promoted, thereby making Kerala the ESG destination of India.
In agriculture, the State government proposes a shift from crop-based assistance to a farm-based one where farmland-based multi-cropping system will be the basic block for agricultural growth, said Mr. Khan. Targeting self-sufficiency in milk production, procurement will be ramped up to 23 lakh litres a day.
The Housing Policy 2011 will be revised and the proposed changes will reflect the housing needs of the citizen as a right. Further, the State has sought ''early approval'' for the SilverLine semi-high-speed rail project designed as a green initiative that would spur employment and economic growth.
The fast-track development of 481 acres of the KINFRA Petrochemical park at Ambalamugal, a spices park at Thodupuzha, masterplans for cashew development and an institute for diabetic studies are among the highlights of Friday's policy address.
Steps will be taken to improve the standards of higher education so that institutions in the sector find a place in global rankings, the policy address said. It reiterated the government's commitment to increasing the State's resilience against disasters. A comprehensive public infrastructure design policy and guidelines will be developed for creating public infrastructure of high quality.
Other proposals include the creation of a centre of excellence in artificial intelligence by the Digital University Kerala (DUK). Phase-I construction of the TCS Aerospace Hub project at Technocity, Thiruvananthapuram, will be completed by mid-2024. Phase I of the KFON project is ready for roll-out, the policy address noted.
