Kerala chief minister VD Satheesan on Monday said the UDF government will implement the ‘Sthree Suraksha Pension’ scheme, introduced in February by the previous LDF administration, only after reviewing it in detail and examining complaints over the selection of beneficiaries.
The chief minister made the remarks on the floor of the Assembly while responding to an adjournment motion notice moved by CPI(M) MLA AC Moideen, who sought to know why the newly installed government was “dismantling” a scheme meant to benefit 1.6 million women homemakers.
The ‘Sthree Suraksha Pension’ scheme was launched by former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on February 12, on the cusp of the Assembly elections. Under the scheme, unemployed women and transpersons between the ages of 35 and 60 who are not receiving any other social security pension are entitled to a monthly assistance of ₹1,000. The first two instalments were disbursed in March.
“The scheme was announced without any preparations. There have been allegations that no field-level inspections were carried out to identify the beneficiaries. Though 3.134 million beneficiaries were initially found, it was later cut down to 1.64 million. It is not possible to say whether we can move ahead with the scheme without reviewing it and examining the way the beneficiaries were added,” the CM said.
The Congress CM alleged that the scheme was announced only in the final month of the previous LDF government, despite having been promised in its 2021 election manifesto. He also accused the Vijayan-led government of delaying the hike in social welfare pensions to ₹2,500 until the closing months of its tenure.
In contrast, he said, his government had, within its first month in office, increased the monthly honorarium of ASHA workers by ₹3,000 and implemented free travel for all women in ordinary-class KSRTC buses. The wages of anganwadi teachers, pre-primary teachers and school cooking workers were also increased by ₹1,000 at the first Cabinet meeting, he added.
“We are the real champions of women. Not you. You (LDF) took an anti-women stand,” the CM said.
Satheesan said the ‘Sthree Suraksha Pension’ scheme was put together at the last minute as an election stunt and that beneficiaries were identified without any committees being formed.
“Your (LDF) local and area committees disbursed pensions to whomsoever needed it. This scheme cannot go forward without being reviewed thoroughly. It was formulated merely to cheat women before the polls,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan termed the UDF government’s stand on the scheme “unfortunate” and rejected the charges.
“It’s clear the UDF is attempting to sabotage it. We implemented it after ensuring proper transparency and by inviting applications through the K-SMART portal. The beneficiaries were approved by the LSG institutions. There is no need to see politics in it,” Vijayan said.
Revised liquor tax rates included in Finance Bill
Meanwhile, the revised sales tax rates on low-alcohol beverages, which had triggered a row in Kerala, have been incorporated in the Finance Bill 2026 (No. 3), which is scheduled to be introduced in the Assembly on July 1.
Section 3 of the Bill states that the words “low-alcoholic beverages” will be inserted after “horti-wine” in the Kerala General Sales Tax Act, 1963. The rates remain the same as those announced by the chief minister in this month’s budget. The Bill specifies that the amendment will come into effect only after the government issues a notification in the gazette.
The move paves the way for extensive consultations within the Congress and the UDF before the revised tax rates are implemented.
