Free KSRTC travel for women from June 15, new ministry for elderly, ASHA honorarium hike among first UDF cabinet announcements

Thiruvananthapuram: The first Cabinet meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Sunday approved a series of major welfare measures, including free travel for women in KSRTC buses from June 15 and the formation of a separate ministry for elderly welfare modelled on international best practices, including systems followed in Japan.

Addressing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Satheesan said the government would conduct a detailed study on establishing a dedicated ministry for senior citizens as Kerala faces the challenges of a rapidly ageing population. He said the initiative would draw lessons from the Japanese model of elderly care and social support.

The Chief Minister also announced a ₹3,000 increase in monthly honorarium for ASHA workers despite the state’s financial constraints. The move is expected to benefit thousands of Accredited Social Health Activists across Kerala, who had repeatedly raised demands for better remuneration and service benefits. Meanwhile, the CM said that the government will soon publish a white paper to inform the public about the economy's current state.

The Cabinet further decided to increase the monthly honorarium of anganwadi workers and helpers by ₹1,000. Wages of cooking staff in schools, pre-primary teachers and ayahs were also raised by ₹1,000.

Satheesan has also ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to reinvestigate the alleged assault on Congress workers by the gunmen of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the 2023 Nava Kerala Sadas outreach programme.

The Cabinet selected former CPM leader G Sudhakaran as the pro tem Speaker. It also recommended to the Governor the convening of the new Assembly session. The swearing-in of newly elected MLAs will take place on May 21, the Speaker will be elected on May 22, and the Governor’s policy address will be delivered on May 29.

The government also appointed Jaju Babu as the new Advocate General and T Asaf Ali as the Director General of Prosecution.

The announcements came hours after the swearing-in of the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government led by Satheesan at the Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The 20-member ministry, which includes several first-time ministers, assumed office following the oath-taking ceremony attended by political leaders, diplomats, religious heads and representatives from various sectors.

The free bus travel scheme for women was one of the flagship promises in the UDF’s Assembly election manifesto. The coalition had pledged to introduce free travel for all women in KSRTC buses as part of a broader welfare and gender empowerment package.

The manifesto had also promised ₹1,000 monthly financial assistance for every college-going girl student, an increase in welfare pensions to ₹3,000 per month, ₹25 lakh health insurance coverage for every household under a scheme named after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and interest-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh for youth entrepreneurs.

The proposal for a dedicated elderly welfare ministry assumes significance as Kerala has one of the country’s highest proportions of senior citizens. Experts and policymakers have repeatedly highlighted the need for specialised interventions in healthcare, social security, and long-term care for the elderly.

During the election campaign and after taking the oath as Chief Minister, Satheesan had stressed that the new government would prioritise welfare delivery, social security and measures to improve the quality of life for ordinary people.