Kerala government plans sops as elections approach

Increasing social security and welfare pension to over 60 lakh beneficiaries and announcing a commission to recommend pay revision for over 5 lakh government employees are being considered by the government

Thiruvananthapuram: As the local body and Assembly polls in Kerala are approaching, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front is likely to announce a series of sops.

An increase in the social security and welfare pension to over 60 lakh beneficiaries from Rs. 1,600 to Rs. 1,800 per month, and announcing the pay commission to recommend pay revision for over five lakh government employees are the key sops learnt to be under the government's consideration.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is likely to make formal announcements during a special session of the Assembly on November 1.

It could be sensing the government's pre-poll social engineering plans that Opposition leader V D Satheesan of the Congress has questioned the rationale of holding a special session of the House soon after a regular session concluded. The Congress leader sent a letter to Speaker A N Shamseer, pointing out that the government's decision to hold a special session without consulting the Opposition was against the rules.

The State government is also likely to announce an increase in remuneration of ASHA workers, who have been on a stir over the last several months. The ASHA workers are also staging a protest march to the Chief Minister's official residence on Wednesday, demanding an increase in the monthly remuneration to Rs 21,000. At present, ASHA workers are getting a maximum remuneration of around Rs 13,000. The State government is likely to allow a marginal increase on the basis of a panel report.

The government is planning the sops at a time when the State is facing an acute financial crunch.

The last pay revision in 2021 had caused a financial burden of Rs 25,000 crore to the State government. Dearness allowance arrears are still pending. The State government is likely to announce schedules for clearing the DA arrears in order to take the government employees into confidence.