Thiruvananthapuram: Finance Minister KN Balagopal will present the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government’s final Budget on Thursday at 9 am. According to reports, the LDF government is likely to make several major announcements to woo votes in the Assembly elections expected in April. It is learnt that the Budget may include hikes in salaries, pensions, and welfare pensions.

Notably, this will be the 12th Budget of the Pinarayi Vijayan government and the sixth to be presented by Minister Balagopal.

In the cabinet meeting held ahead of the budget, the LDF government decided to give a pension to nuns and other women residing in faith homes like convents, monasteries, etc. In another major announcement, the government also declared that it will settle the loans of Wayanad landslide survivors. The cabinet also gave in-principle approval for the implementation of a Regional Rapid Transit System project in the state.

According to the Economic Review tabled in the State Assembly on Wednesday, Kerala’s economy recorded robust growth in 2024–25, though rising public debt continues to pose a major challenge. The state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) grew by 6.19 per cent in real terms in 2024–25, up from 6.0 per cent in the previous year. At current prices, the economy expanded by nearly 10 per cent, driven by improved performance across all major sectors.

Ernakulam emerged as the district with the highest revenue contribution, followed by Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram in second and third positions, respectively.