Kerala not transforming enough, says Tharoor

TRIVANDRUM: Senior Congress leader Dr Shashi Tharoor has made a scathing atack on the Kerala government amid speculations over eyeing the chief minister nomination in 2026.

He said the state’s policies were affecting the quality of higher education and driving the investors away forcing tens of thousands of youngsters to leave the state.

“The reason I wanted to speak to Kerala is the great danger that our state is let behind in the race for growth and development in India,” he said.

“The transformation of India is happening but we in Kerala are not transforming enough. That’s why youngsters are leaving the state for higher education and jobs.”

The lawmaker was speaking on “Young India: Social and Economic Development” at Bodhigram Youth Conclave at Adoor in the hilly district of Pathanamthita Sunday. He predicted that, at the current rate, one million students will go abroad for higher education in the next five years.

“The annual per capita income (of the state) has tripled in eight years but rural and urban unemployment is worsening,” the author and former UN diplomat said.

“India is also facing the worst unemployment rate since we started socioeconomic surveys. But the Kerala scenario is alarming.”

Citing the official data, he said Kerala has 40 per cent unemployment among educated youngsters they feel the state “has become an old age home” as they leave.

The state’s debt ratio has risen to 39.8 per cent and 80 per cent of its revenue is spent on salaries, pensions and debt servicing. “The state has no resources to pay even salaries now. Everything is being done on borrowed money including paying salaries and doling out freebies,” he said.

“If this continues, the future generation will be paying a heavy price. The money you spend on (free food) kits is on them. It shows the inefficiency of the government.”

He quoted a recent Reserve Bank of India warning saying that “Kerala must undertake significant corrective steps” but nobody was paying atention to it.

He said the state’s fiscal deficit has increased to more than 240 billion from Rs 44.52 billion eight years back and it was increasing by 60 per cent annually.

“The finance minister is presenting the budget (with these figures) gleefully. If it’s happening in a family, the breadwinner would think about commiting suicide,” he said.