Sat Feb 01 14:37:28 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Minister Condemns Union Budget Snub of Vizhinjam Port

**Thiruvananthapuram, February 1, 2025** – Kerala’s Port Minister V.N. Vasavan has sharply criticized the Union Budget for its failure to include a ₹5,000 crore special financial package requested for the Vizhinjam International Seaport project. He described the omission as a “vindictive attitude” from the central government towards the state.

Despite handling three lakh twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo within six months of trial runs, facilitated by 150 ship dockings including five of the world’s largest container vessels, the port’s funding request was ignored. January alone saw 45 ships and 85,000 TEUs processed. Minister Vasavan highlighted the port’s burgeoning success and its potential to significantly boost India’s maritime trade, arguing that the central government’s inaction sabotages the Indian federal system.

He further accused the Union Finance Minister of prioritizing political interests over the needs of Kerala’s infrastructure development, citing the rejection of other significant funding requests, including a ₹24,000 crore package, a semi-high-speed rail project, and relief packages for Wayanad and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. Minister Vasavan asserts that the Vizhinjam port’s success is crucial for India’s economic growth and should warrant immediate federal support.

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