KERALA BUDGET '24

Promise of two safari parks keep northern districts in Balagopal's number game

Kozhikode: In a move that will give a fillip to tourism in North Kerala, Finance Minister K N Balagopal has proposed two safari parks in the budget, one in Kannur district and a tiger safari park in Kozhikode.

Tiger Safari Park will be set up on nearly 300 acres at Muthukad in the Peruvannamuzhi Range of Kozhikode Forest Division. "This centre will be developed into one having much potential in the tourism sector," Balagopal said in his budget speech on Monday, February 5.

In Kannur, he said, a full-fledged safari park will be established at Nadukani in Taliparamba constituency. He said 300 acres have been identified for the project which would require an initial investment of Rs 300 crore. He earmarked Rs 2 crore for the initial expense. The safari park would have a museum, zoo, and biodiversity park. "This will be developed as a joint venture of public, cooperative, and private sectors... This will become a prime tourist destination in the Malabar region," he said.

Here are the other big hits and misses:
Kasaragod
Finance Minister K N Balagopal set aside Rs 75 crore each for the development package of Kasaragod, Wayanad, and Idukki, the same as last year, in his budget presented on Monday, February 5.

For Kasaragod, he earmarked Rs 17 crore for the Endosulfan package, again the same as last year. The money is used for reimbursing medicine bills and expenses of patients treated in empanelled hospitals.

The Finance Minister set aside Rs 10 crore for the Cheemeni Industrial Park in Kasaragod. An archaeological and heritage museum will be set up in Kasaragod.

The government has also approved the setting up of the Mahakavi T Ubaid Mappila Kala Academy for Rs 3 crore in Kasaragod. The Finance Minister set aside Rs 1 crore for the project in the budget.

Kannur
Balagopal said the government has acquired land to develop the industrial corridors of Kochi, Palakkad, and Kannur.

He set aside Rs 9 crore for setting up a dyeing and printing unit at Nadukani KINFRA Textile Centre in Kannur. An amount of Rs 1 crore is set apart for arranging facilities at Kannur Airport in connection with the Haj Pilgrimage.

Thrissur
The Finance Minister set aside Rs 10 crore for the upgrade of Shaktan Thampuran Private Bus Stand in Thrissur. He earmarked Rs 3 crore for the development of Thrissur Corporation Stadium, with a gallery and shopping complex at Paravattani; another Rs 1 crore for paving work of the tennis court; and Rs 5 crore for making a parking lot at the stadium.

Health sector
Five new nursing colleges will be established in Kasaragod, Idukki, Wayanad, Palakkad, and Pathanamthitta districts. Two medical colleges, including the one in Kasaragod, are also under construction. An amount of ₹ 401.24 crore is allocated for the overall development of the medical education sector of the state, the budget said.

The Finance Minister earmarked Rs 28 crore for the Malabar Cancer Centre at Thalassery.

Another Rs 6.60 crore is allocated for the development of mental health centres functioning in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Kozhikode districts.

Balagopal earmarked Rs 14 crore for the purchase of cancer treatment equipment at the Oncology Departments at Kottayam, Thrissur, and Kozhikode Medical Colleges.

Rs 10 crore is earmarked for improving the health infrastructure and setting up de-addiction centres in tribal and coastal areas.

He earmarked Rs 3.60 crore for the Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Kozhikode.

The Finance Minister set aside Rs 7 crore for the renovation and purchase of new pieces of equipment for the Government Analyst Laboratory, Thiruvananthapuram, and regional laboratories at Kannur, Ernakulam and Kozhikode and District Laboratory, Pathanamthitta.

Ports
The government would increase the depth and capacity of Azhikkal Port in Kannur to ensure the seamless movement of cargo transport to the northern districts, Balagopal said.

He said Rs 9.65 crore is earmarked for land acquisition, rehabilitation, breakwater construction, utility charges, and consultancy-project management of greenfield Malabar International Port & SEZ Ltd (formerly known as Azhikkal Ports Ltd), which will benefit northern Kerala and southern Karnataka regions.

Overall, he earmarked Rs 39.20 crore for the comprehensive infrastructure development of ports at Azhikkal, Beypore, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ponnani, with a thrust on cargo, passenger ferrying, and tourism.

The finance minister also set aside Rs 5 crore for the infrastructure development of non-major ports at Neendakara in Kollam, Valiyathura in Thiruvananthapuram, Kayamkulam and Manakkodam in Alappuzha, Munambam-Kodungallur, Thalassery in Kannur, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Cheruvathur-Neeleswaram, Kasaragod and Manjeshwar in Kasaragod district.

Tourism
Going by the pace of growth in the tourism sector, Kerala would need 10,000 more hotel rooms in the next three years, said the Finance Minister. He said Kerala would require convention centres that are capable of hosting big national and international events.

The government would help set up hotel-cum-convention centres that could accommodate 500 people in 20 destinations. In the first phase, 11 centres would be set up, six in south Kerala and five in the north. The centres would come up at Varkala, Kollam, Munroe Thuruth, Alappuzha, Munnar,

Fort Kochi, Ponnani, Beypore, Kozhikode, Kannur and Bekal. The Finance Minister set aside Rs 50 crore for the initial project.

He said the government is considering a low-interest-bearing loan scheme in collaboration with Kerala Financial Corporation and banks for the project. It is expected that investment worth Rs 5,000 crore would be possible within one year in this sector, he said.

Mini marinas and yacht hubs connecting to the four destinations namely Kochi, Alappuzha, Beypore, and Kollam, resting centres, restaurants, places for minor entertainment activities, and motels would be developed, he said.

The Finance Minister set aside Rs 10 crore for the Veeramalakunnu tourism project, an upcoming hilltop picnic destination in Kasaragod.

An amount of ₹232.59 crore is earmarked for the Forestry and Wildlife sector for the financial year 2024-2025.

Education
A museum of eminence named 'Shika' will be established at Calicut University by linking Kerala's biodiversity, history, folklore heritage, and parlance, Balagopal said. "It can function as a knowledge centre depicting the peculiarities of all these four sectors," he said.

Malappuram District Congress President V S Joy said the budget neglected the district with the largest population.

The budget ignored the expatriate community and disappointed the people in the coastal region, he said.

Airstrips get a token mention
The long-proposed airstrips in Idukki, Wayanad, and Kasaragod found the customary mention in the Finance Minister's budget.

He earmarked Rs 1.96 crore for Idukki, Rs 1.17 crore for Wayanad, and Rs 1.10 crore for Bekal airstrip.

In the 2022-2023 budget, he said the airstrips were in a conceptual stage and earmarked Rs 4.51 crore for preparing detailed project reports (DPR) and acquiring land.

While presenting the 2023-2024 budget, the minister said "activities have been commenced to prepare DPR" and "to conduct feasibility studies in Idukki, Wayanad, and Kasaragod". He repeated the budgeted amount of Rs 4.51 crore.

This year, he did not mention the DRP or the progress of the feasibility studies. But the total budgeted amount for the three airstrips fell to Rs 4.23 crore.