Kerala Speaker Defends UDF Stance on KIIFB Amid Expert Panel Recommendations

Speaker Comments

Keralam Legislative Assembly Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan stated on Monday that an incoming government is not bound to follow the exact path of the previous administration. Speaking to reporters in Kottayam, he defended the UDF government's stand on the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board after an expert panel recommended ending its role as a separate fund-raising and project-financing body.

Panel Report Findings

The expert committee, headed by retired IAS officer Sudha Pillai, tabled its report in the Keralam Assembly on Thursday. The panel concluded that KIIFB no longer serves its original purpose of raising funds outside the state's borrowing space, because its borrowings now count against that limit.

Government And Opposition Views

Chief Minister V D Satheesan stated on Thursday that the panel report points out serious financial irregularities, rule violations, and massive financial liabilities tied to KIIFB. He also claimed KIIFB operated as a separate empire and alleged that large sums were spent to buy excessive land in Kannur district at very high rates, with most of it left unused. Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan responded on Sunday by asking what was wrong with spending money in Kannur, questioning whether Kannur is outside Keralam and accusing the UDF administration of trying to block state development.

Context

The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board has served as a key vehicle for infrastructure financing in the state, making its future structure and financial model a central subject of political debate between the ruling administration and the opposition.