Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 26 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday urged the parliamentarians from the state to raise their voice against the neglect Kerala faced in the union Railway budget.

Also Read | Indian Embassy Issues Fresh Advisory for Its Citizens in Ukraine Desiring to Be Evacuated Via Hungary.

At a conference of all the parliamentarians from the state, Vijayan said the union government has been neglecting Kerala's demand for an AIIMS in the union budget despite multiple requests even to the Prime Minister.

Also Read | Chhattisgarh: Two Die of Electric Shock While Fishing in Mahasamund's Rivulet.

"There is no positive reference in the budget with regard to the Nemom, Kochuveli terminals, Angamaly-Sabari, Thalassery-Mysore and Kanhangad-Panathur-Kaniyur routes. The union government has also neglected the demand for the automatic signaling system along the Ernakulam-Shoranur route," Vijayan said in a release.

He also said that a similar attitude could be seen in extending the Amritha Express till Rameshwaram and towards the demand for a new train in the Ernakulam-Velankanni route.

"Despite requesting multiple times, even to the Prime Minister, there is no positive outcome on part of the union government over the setting up of an AIIMS in Kerala," he said.

He also asked the MPs to voice their demands to allow foreign Airlines to operate services at the Kannur International Airport. The airport is constructed to receive heavy passenger flow, the chief minister said.

"Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, OmanAir, Gulf Air, Air Asia, Silk Air and Sri Lankan Air have expressed their interest in operating their services from the Kannur Airport. Denying permission for foreign airlines to Kannur airport will adversely affect the airport," he said.

Vijayan also said that the state government had requested a financial package of Rs 1,000 crore from the union government for the rehabilitation of expats who have returned to the state due to the pandemic.

However, the central government has not yet responded to that either.

He asked the MPs to strongly voice their opposition against the privatisation of BPCL keeping in mind the interests of the state.

State ministers and officials including the chief secretary took part in the meeting held here. Some MPs participated online, sources said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)