On a day he was forced to toe the CPI line on the PM SHRI issue, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan converted his post-Cabinet briefing into a mini-Budget presentation of sorts that unveiled seemingly endless welfare concessions.

But many of the pre-election benefits the CM generously announced on Wednesday fell short of the LDF promises in its 2021 election manifesto. A major declaration on Wednesday was the increase in social security pensions to ₹2,000 from ₹1,600. The manifesto had promised that it would be increased to ₹2,500 in phases.

Other than three new transfer payments (Sthree Suraksha Pension, Connect-to-Work Scholarship, and working capital for Kdumbashree Area Development Societies), the rest were mostly 2021 election promises like the increase in social security pensions and honorariums of community health workers like ASHAs.

Sthree Suraksha Pension: ₹1,000 will be transferred monthly to women, including transwoman, between the ages of 35 and 60. To receive the benefit, the women should not be beneficiaries of any welfare schemes and should fall in the AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana ration - yellow card) or the PHH (priority household - pink card) categories. 31.34 lakh women are expected to benefit. The government outgo for the pension scheme would be ₹3,800 crore.

The LDF manifesto had said that a pension amount, which would take into account the value of domestic work, would be given to housewives. A specific amount was not mentioned though. The CM refused to say whether the latest announcement was a version of the housewife pension promised in the 2021 manifesto. 

Connect-to-Work Scholarship: Monthly stipend of ₹1,000 will be provided to youth between the ages of 18 and 30. Those from families with an annual income of less than ₹1 lakh are eligible. The youths should also have completed their plus two/ITI/diploma/degree courses and should be taking skill development courses or preparing for competitive exams. Five lakh youths are expected to benefit. The annual outgo would be ₹600 crore. 

Working Grant for Kudumbashree ADS: The 19,470 area development societies (ADS) will be provided a monthly working grant of ₹1,000. The ADS is the second tier of the Kudumbashree network. It is below the apex Community Development Society and above the 'ayalkoottams' or neighbourhood groups. 

Till now, ADSs were provided just a revolving fund of ₹50,000 in urban areas and a lower amount in rural areas. These funds were transferred more than five years ago. Each ADS had to use this corpus fund to generate income for itself. They did this mostly by giving small loans to members. 

Clearly, this was not enough to keep many of them afloat. The ADSs were so short of money that members had to dig into their own pockets for travel and other activities related to the ADS. The new working capital scheme will pump 12,000 a year into every ADS. The government outgo would be 23.4 crore.

₹2000 welfare pension: Social security pensions have been increased to ₹2000 from ₹1600 per month. Now, there are 62 lakh beneficiaries. With the increase, the total annual expenditure on welfare pensions would be ₹13,000 crore.

ASHA honorarium: The monthly honorarium of ASHA workers, a section of whom had been on strike since March, has been increased by ₹1000. The honorarium they receive now is ₹7000. The protesters want it raised to ₹21,000 so it is equal to the minimum wage of ₹700, a figure the LDF had promised in its 2021 manifesto.

After the latest increase, even if other ASHA incentives are also included, the maximum an ASHA worker can take home monthly is ₹14,000 a month, which is ₹467 a day and way below the promised minimum wage of ₹700. 

26,125 ASHAs will receive the increased amount. Their arrears, too, will be paid. The additional annual expense for the state on account of the ASHA honorarium will now be ₹250 crore. 

Anganwadi honorarium: The monthly honorarium of anganwadi workers and helpers, too, have been increased by ₹1,000. The annual outgo would be ₹934 crore.

As it stands, the honorarium of anganwadi workers with more than 10 years of experience is ₹13,000; for those with lesser experience, it is ₹12,500. For anganwadi helpers it is ₹9,000 and ₹8,500. They too had wanted their honorarium increased to ₹21,000. 

Rubber subsidy: Subsidy under the Rubber Production Incentive Scheme has been increased to ₹200 from ₹180. The promise was ₹250.

Paddy procurement: The procurement price of paddy will be upped to ₹30 a kg from ₹28.20.

Interestingly, the LDF government had kept the procurement price static all these years even when the Centre had increased its share. This was done by a proportionate decrease in the state's contribution whenever the Centre increased its support.

As it stands, the centre contributes ₹23 and the state ₹5.20. Kerala had slashed ₹5.59 from its contribution per kg in the last five years. Now, after the CM's announcement, the state's contribution will go up to ₹7 per kg.

All these announcements will come into effect from November 1, Kerala Formation Day.