Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29: The Kerala Budget 2026–27, presented by Finance Minister K. N. Balagopal on Thursday, has brought a major relief for ASHAs, anganwadi workers, pre-primary teachers, and literacy instructors with a monthly honorarium hike of Rs 1,000, as the state gears up for Assembly elections in the coming months.
In addition, anganwadi helpers will receive an extra Rs 500 per month, and noon-meal cooks will get a Rs 25 hike in daily wages. The Finance Minister also assured that Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief (DA/DR) for government employees and pensioners would be expedited.
From April 2026, the honorarium for elected representatives of local bodies will be enhanced, and a welfare fund board with a corpus of Rs 250 crore will be set up for their benefit. For the first time in India, Kerala will also present an elderly budget document alongside the main budget.
Major Announcements and Allocations:
• Housing: The first batch of houses for victims of the 2024 Wayanad landslide will be handed over in the third week of February.
• VS Centre: A memorial ‘VS Centre’ in honor of late CM V. S. Achuthanandan with Rs 20 crore allocation in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Transportation: Rs 100 crore for preliminary works of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) spanning 583 km from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod.
• Gig Workers: Rs 20 crore earmarked for welfare measures.
• Autorickshaw Workers: Scrappage bonus and loan interest waiver announced.
• Employment Guarantee Scheme: Additional Rs 1,000 crore allocation.
• Pension Hike: Rs 1,000 increase for cancer and AIDS patients.
• Insurance: Group insurance for lottery workers, taxi drivers, and autorickshaw workers, along with Medisep model insurance for cooperative workers. New health insurance schemes for families outside the Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi.
• Education: Fee waiver for arts and science degree students in government and aided colleges.
• Nativity Cards: Rs 20 crore for preliminary works to provide nativity cards for Kerala residents.
The budget highlights Kerala’s focus on strengthening welfare for frontline and gig workers, supporting vulnerable groups, and enhancing infrastructure, healthcare, and education, while also introducing innovative measures like the elderly budget document to promote inclusive development.