Kerala CM Seeks Rs 22 Billion NDRF Aid, AIIMS Nod from PM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday, seeking urgent financial and policy support for the state. The Chief Minister requested the release of the Rs 22.21 billion National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) grant for Wayanad landslide reconstruction and pressed for immediate approval to establish an AIIMS at Kinaloor, Kozhikode.

“Called on the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji and requested the urgent release of the full Rs 22.21 billion NDRF grant for Wayanad landslide reconstruction. Also urged immediate approval for establishing AIIMS at Kinaloor, Kozhikode, and sought relief from the punitive cuts imposed on Kerala’s borrowing limits,” Vijayan posted on X.

The meeting formed part of the Chief Minister’s multi-ministerial visit to the capital aimed at addressing fiscal, infrastructure, and security concerns.

On Thursday, Vijayan met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, submitting a detailed memorandum outlining Kerala’s fiscal challenges. He urged the Centre to relax borrowing restrictions and compensate for GST-related revenue losses to safeguard the state’s welfare and development programmes.

The Chief Minister also held talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, submitting proposals to strengthen internal security and development frameworks in Kerala. He highlighted the need for enhanced coastal security, women’s safety, forensic infrastructure, and modernised emergency services, while requesting a review of the decision to exclude Kannur and Wayanad from the list of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts.

In his meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Vijayan reiterated Kerala’s long-standing demand for an AIIMS and proposed the creation of a National Institute for Geriatric Care, citing the state’s ageing population and leadership in healthcare.

The Chief Minister also met Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, where he called for the acceleration of key infrastructure projects, including the long-delayed National Highway 66 (NH-66) expansion and other vital transport corridors. Vijayan submitted a memorandum detailing steps taken by the state to facilitate these works and urged central support for their early completion.

The series of meetings underline Kerala’s push for financial flexibility, infrastructure modernisation, and healthcare advancement, with the Chief Minister emphasising cooperative federalism and urgent central intervention to support the state’s development goals.

Related Stories