Centre should have state-specific approach for development: Kerala FM

Seeking more funds to tide over the state's financial woes, Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Sunday said the Centre should have a state-specific rather than a uniform financial approach towards states as each of them has different kinds of developmental activities.

Balagopal, part of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) which is in power for the second consecutive term in the southern state, emphasised that monolithic thinking about overall development is not practical and also called for flexibility in utilisation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) depending on the requirements of the state.

Flagging serious concerns about reduced central fund transfers and borrowing restrictions, Kerala has demanded a special package of Rs 24,000 crore in the upcoming Union Budget to tackle the liquidity stress.

"A monolithic thinking about the total development and administration of the country is not practical in India because different states should be considered differently, ..