Fiscal constraints had existed even at the time of the formation of Kerala in the 1950s. One is
filled with admiration at how much the EMS Namboodiripad and Achutha Menon managed to
achieve with respect to public provisioning in the health and education sectors on so slender a
resource base.
Both of them had followed sentimentality when it came to governance. But the succeeding
politicians in Kerala show no such awareness, which explains why the State finds itself in the
present predicament. Governments claiming allegiance to ideologies of the left or the right have
come and gone leaving only a mounting debt for future generations to repay. Kerala has been
categorised as debt stressed by the Centre.
The present scenario of Kerala
The real growth expectations of 2013-14 is 8.58% of GSDP.
There was a considerable decrease in the agricultural sector loan advances from Rs 45.055cr to
43,325cr.
The Industrial sector showed a small increase from 29,668cr to 31,668
63% of the state GDP is contributed by the service sector.
The NRI remittances had increase of 14, 720Cr in last 6 months.
The investment plans of Kerala in Infrastructure include
LNG terminal in Puthuvyppe in ekm dt. This will help to boost shipping industry and
provide many jobs etc.
The agencies responsible for public services are understaffed, and to the extent they
provide producer services, this lowers output. When output is negatively affected it
lowers public revenues as most taxes are levied ad valorem.
Economic reforms
Foreign remittances
Ad-hocism.
The commercialisation of education and health sectors, once the bedrock of the Kerala
model of development, had completely marginalised the historically disadvantaged
groups like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the fisher folk. The difference in the
expenditure on education between the rural low-income groups and high income groups
was disquieting.
Housing glut adds to further emphasise the point of growing inequality. More than 10
per cent of houses were vacant and 66.5 per cent of houses in Kerala had three or more
rooms.
Conclusion
Vested interests, competitive populism, pet projects and sheer incompetence are factors
that have contributed to Keralas perennial fiscal crisis. In a democracy it is the duty of
those in public life to not only explain this to their constituencies but to do whatever it
takes to ensure the robustness of the public finances. With the ongoing fiscal crisis
Keralas political class has failed this test.