Kerala Panel Criticises KIIFB, Triggers Political Row

A parliamentary committee led by Sudha Pillai has strongly criticised the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) in its report tabled in the Assembly. The panel concluded there is no justification for continuing the board as a fund-raising and project-financing body.

The committee flagged fiscal strain on Kerala's finances and alleged constitutional deviations in KIIFB's operations. The findings have become a flashpoint between the ruling UDF coalition and the opposition LDF, with both sides trading accusations over the board's governance and financial practices.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the government is considering launching a probe into the irregularities highlighted by the committee. The report's critique threatens to intensify scrutiny of the board's role in infrastructure funding, a key pillar of Kerala's development agenda.