Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Kolad bridge, a vital project connecting Pinarayi and Dharmadam grama panchayats, on Friday.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister highlighted the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) as a key driver of the State’s development, while coming down on the Union government’s “hostile approach” to it.
He said Kerala faced significant resource constraints owing to reduced Central allocations. “While other States have embraced the Central government’s policies, Kerala has chosen a different path, which has led to reduced fund sharing. The KIIFB, revived in 2016, has been instrumental in addressing these gaps,” he said.
Mr. Vijayan noted that the KIIFB’s initial target of ₹50,000-crore infrastructure development by 2021 had been surpassed with ₹62,000-crore worth developments. The current portfolio of projects has reached ₹90,000 crore, significantly transforming the health, education and infrastructure sectors.
Mr. Vijayan also announced a ₹1,000-crore allocation for repairing village roads and said that all repairs would be completed before the rainy season.
Constructed at a cost of ₹13.6 crore, the Kolad bridge spans 179 metres.
