Opposition gives thumbs down to budget

KOCHI: The Opposition in the Kochi Corporation termed the revised budget for 2011-12 a big disappointment for Kochiites. They said that the budget failed to make sufficient fund allocations for some of the much awaited projects.Talking to ‘City Express,’ Kochi Corporation Opposition leader K J Jacob said the Oommen Chandy-led government had failed to allocate sufficient funds for mega projects like Metro Rail and Smart City in the annual budget. He said that the government did not give any importance to the existing infrastructure development projects.“No new projects have been mentioned in the budget. It was expected that the government will announce special package for the betterment of roads, rail overbridges and water transport in the city,” Jacob said. He said that the budget totally ignored some key provisions made by the then Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in the 2010-11 state budget. “Among the projects announced last year, the special package for junction modernisation and the provision for the introduction of modernised boats were some of the key projects that would have helped the overall development of the transport sector in the city. But this year’s budget did not propose any plans to carry forward these projects,” Jacob said. He said the budget did not give enough importance to fisheries and coconut farming, the two key sectors in the district. “Overall, the budget ended up as nothing but a mere jugglery of words,” he said.