Kerala CM Pinarayi meets PM, Union ministers; urges Centre to approve AIIMS, release aid for Wayanad

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said that he had personally met and briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Union ministers about the financial crisis faced by the state. Reiterating Keralas major financial and development demands, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged the Centre to approve an AIIMS for the state and release funds for the Wayanad rehabilitation package, among others. The CM said the state had already identified suitable land at Kinalur in Kozhikode for AIIMS and has sought immediate sanction for the project. The chief minister has also requested the easing of borrowing restrictions and permission for the state to raise an additional 0.5 per cent beyond the existing limit. He pointed out that a shortfall of Rs 5,100 crore in the borrowing limit has delayed welfare schemes and development projects. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was requested to take steps to ease the states fiscal pressure. He said the state faces a GST revenue gap of Rs 9,765 crore. The state also sought a grant of Rs 2,221 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund for Wayanad rehabilitation and asked that disaster relief assistance not be treated as a loan. The issue of pending IGST recovery worth Rs 965 crore was also raised, the chief minister said. A request to release the pending dues for paddy procurement was also made. The chief minister said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that the states demands would be considered. Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari appreciated the states efforts on national highway projects and said all stretches of NH66 would be completed by December. He is expected to visit the state soon to review the progress, the CM added.