Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is facing intense scrutiny after official government documents allegedly contradicted his statement in the Legislative Assembly regarding the financial progress of the state’s flagship Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP). The revelation has sparked a major political controversy, raising questions about the Chief Minister’s veracity on the floor of the House.
During his statement, the Chief Minister had asserted that the government fully utilized the funds allocated for the EPEP, claiming that ₹50 crore each was spent in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years, with ₹60 crore earmarked and utilized for 2025-26. He stated these funds were spent on key areas including healthcare, housing construction, and livelihood support for the extremely poor.
Financial Discrepancies Exposed
However, documents from the state Planning Board’s Plan Space show a glaring contradiction:
- 2025-26 Fiscal Year: Against the allocated budget of ₹60 crore, the official records indicate the expenditure is zero percent (₹0).
- 2023-24 Fiscal Year: Out of the ₹50 crore budget mentioned by the CM, only ₹16.43 crore was actually spent, according to the government’s own budget papers for 2025-26.
This massive discrepancy suggests that the Chief Minister’s claim of full fund utilization for the anti-poverty scheme is patently false, turning a touted developmental milestone into a controversy over transparency and financial management. Critics are now demanding a clarification from the Chief Minister on the contradiction between his statement and the state’s official financial records.
