The final full budget of the second Pinarayi Vijayan government will be presented today by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal. With local body elections approaching, Kerala is keenly watching to see if the budget will include popular announcements. In the previous budget, there was no increase in welfare pensions, leading to widespread expectations of a raise this time. The finance minister had recently hinted at new measures to boost revenue as well.
Currently, the welfare pension stands at ₹1,600, and it is expected to be increased to ₹1,700–₹1,800. Around 62 lakh people in the state receive pensions. The LDF had also promised an increase in social pensions in its election manifesto, making it highly likely to be considered, given the upcoming elections.
There is also a strong possibility that the budget will allocate additional funds to tackle the rising incidents of wild animal attacks in Kerala. With growing public outrage and the opposition taking up the issue, special attention is expected towards finding solutions for the highland regions affected by wildlife conflicts.
Additionally, the finance minister is likely to announce rehabilitation and welfare measures for landslide victims in Wayanad. Earlier, Kerala had urged the central government to allocate funds for Wayanad in the Union Budget, but no such provisions were made.
