Kerala Budget: 4 science parks, assistance for students returning from Ukraine

NEW DELHI: Announcing the Kerala Budget 2022-23, on Friday, finance minister KN Balagopal announced that Rs 1,000 crore will be earmarked for four science parks with advanced research facilities that will be set up across Kerala. The minister also said that these science parks will follow a public-private partnership model.

The budget also has a special assistance package for students returning from war-torn Ukraine.

In the Kerala budget, Rs 2,547 crore has been allocated for the education sector. Out of this, Rs 1,014 crore is for school education, Rs 452 crore for higher education, Rs 245 crore for technological education and Rs 15 crore for special education.

The finance minister KN Balagopal said that Rs 350 crores will be allocated for skill parks that will be set up in all 14 districts of Kerala for skill development. The skill park will be set up with private companies in a 50:50 model.

Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for incubation, innovation centres and startup consortium on medical technology. Rs 5 crore has been announced for setting up a centre of excellence in microbiology considering the COVID-19 impact on the state.

Kerala Budget 2022: Jobs, hostels

The budget also has allocated Rs 25 crore for employment development centres in all 14 districts. Rs 20 cr has been allocated for translation research institutes.

Rs 100 crore has been allocated for constructing 1500 hostels and 250 international hostels across the state.

Rs 4 crore has been allocated for conducting a Global Science Festival in Kerala and Rs 5 crore has been allocated for green campuses.

Rs 2 crore has been allocated for a Latin American study centre which will aim to develop relations with Latin American countries through student exchange programmes and other activities. The minister noted that there are similarities between the agricultural patterns followed by Latin American countries and Kerala.

For school education, the minister announced that an additional Rs 193 crore will be spent on mid-day meals for ensuring milk and eggs for students. The minister said that students will be provided with milk and eggs twice a week.

Rs 140 crore has been allocated for a school uniform project made of local handlooms.

Rs 70 crore has been allocated for developing basic facilities in schools.

The minister said that an alumni week will be held in December every year for former students of government schools. The minister said that this will help in the development of government schools.

The minister also said 10.48 lakh children have joined government schools from private institutions.