In the wake of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s significant announcements on Wednesday, Kerala’s Finance Minister, K.N. Balagopal, directly addressed sceptics on Thursday, October 30, 2025. He emphatically stated that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has made no promises it cannot fulfill.
Minister Balagopal highlighted that these pledges were not made during an interim budget but with nearly half of the financial year still remaining, showcasing the government’s confidence. Addressing concerns from various quarters, including the Opposition United Democratic Front, regarding the funding for these new expenditures, he reiterated the LDF’s commitment to delivering on its word. He emphasized the government’s consistent transparency in updating the public on the progress of its initiatives.
These recent announcements, strategically timed before the 2025 local body elections and the 2026 Assembly polls, include a substantial increase in monthly social security pensions to ₹2,000 per beneficiary, alongside the introduction of a new ‘Sthree Suraksha’ (Women’s Safety) pension of ₹1,000 per month. Balagopal had previously estimated that these new schemes would incur an additional annual burden of ₹10,000 crore on the state exchequer.
According to the Finance Minister, these new initiatives are a natural progression of the LDF government’s ongoing efforts to support ordinary citizens and workers. He proudly declared that every promise outlined in the LDF’s election manifesto, which prioritizes both development and welfare, is steadily being realized. He also noted that the Chief Minister is set to announce the eradication of extreme poverty in the Assembly this Saturday, marking another milestone in these comprehensive measures.
Balagopal credited the state’s impressive achievements over recent years to the “continuity in government,” subtly referencing the LDF’s historic second consecutive term win in 2021. Despite this success, he lamented the “blockade-like” tactics employed by the Union government, which he claimed has significantly reduced Kerala’s rightful share of financial resources and curtailed its borrowing capacity. The Minister reiterated the state’s long-standing complaint that these central government actions have cost Kerala at least ₹50,000 crore annually.