Mar 18, 2026 16:30 pm IST

Debt Trap To Youth Exodus, The 10 Big Crises Ailing Kerala - By Shashi Tharoor

Kerala needs change. The current administration has failed the people across the board.

Shashi Tharoor Shashi Tharoor Dr Shashi Tharoor is a two-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, the former Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Human Resource Development and the former UN Under-Secretary-General. He has written 15 books, including, most recently, India Shastra: Reflections On the Nation in Our Time

Shashi Tharoor Dr Shashi Tharoor is a two-time MP from Thiruvananthapuram, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, the former Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Human Resource Development and the former UN Under-Secretary-General. He has written 15 books, including, most recently, India Shastra: Reflections On the Nation in Our Time

As Kerala moves quickly towards the 2026 Assembly elections - more quickly than anyone expected, since the Election Commission startled the state by announcing polls at three weeks' notice - it has become apparent that this is a 'do or die' moment for the future of Kerala.

Today, Kerala needs change. And it is not an option but a necessity if the State is to survive as a viable economy. The current administration has failed the people of Kerala across the board. One can identify ten crises under which the state is reeling:

1. A Crippling Financial Crisis

The government has pushed Kerala into a massive debt trap, borrowing money before the end of the year just to pay routine salaries and pensions. Today, our state spends more money on servicing its debt than on actual development projects. The state is currently trying to run the economy by relying solely on liquor taxes, lotteries, and remittances.              

2. The Exodus of Our Youth

We have created a highly educated young population, but we........

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