Kerala Budget: With an apparent eye on Assembly polls, LDF announces people-centric schemes
The Hindu
Kerala's 2026-27 budget focuses on social security and community programs, eyeing upcoming Assembly elections with a ₹14,500 crore boost.
Apparently eyeing the upcoming Assembly elections, Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal on Thursday (January 29, 2026) unveiled a people-focused Budget for 2026-27, promising a massive ₹14,500-crore boost to help social security pensioners and fund a series of new community programmes.
Presenting the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led government's sixth Budget in the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Balagopal announced that the honorarium of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Anganwadi workers has been hiked by ₹1,000 per month and that of Anganwadi helpers by ₹500.
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The pay of pre-primary teachers and literacy mission motivators has been increased by ₹1,000 per month and the daily wages of school cooking staff have been raised by ₹25 per day, he said.
The Budget also announced ₹3,700 crore for the Chief Minister's Stree Suraksha Scheme.
Besides that, an increase in allocation for the rural employment scheme by ₹1,000 crore as compared to previous years, life and health insurance schemes for all categories of people, including school children, and free degree education for students in arts and science colleges were also announced in the Budget.
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