Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Extends Children's Day Greetings

Thiruvananthapuram: On the occasion of Children’s Day on Friday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan extended his greetings and reflected on the importance of child welfare. In a Facebook post, he remembered India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, whose birth anniversary is observed as Children’s Day across the country.

He said Nehru firmly believed that India could achieve social progress only by ensuring the welfare of its children. Kerala's achievements in safeguarding children's rights and creating a child-friendly society reflect his ideals, the chief minister said. "It is the collective responsibility of society to ensure that every child has the right to be born and raised in an environment free from discrimination and exploitation. By any measure, Kerala stands as a model for the world in this regard," he wrote.

Pinarayi Vijayan said that one of the achievements the state can take pride in this Children's Day is the reduction in infant mortality. "Kerala brought down the infant mortality rate from 12 in 2016 to 5 this year. The infant mortality rate in the United States is 5.6. Kerala has surpassed even developed capitalist countries on this front," he said. He added that the state achieved this remarkable feat while the national average remains 25.

"Kerala's 'Hridyam' project helped reduce infant deaths caused by congenital heart defects by 41 per cent. The reduction of the infant mortality rate to five is the result of continuous interventions made in the health sector by the LDF government," he said. As a society, people are committed to ensuring the best possible future for children, and the LDF government is moving forward with initiatives to fulfil this commitment, the chief minister said. Protecting children's rights is, in fact, protecting the future of the nation itself. Warm Children's Day wishes to all children, he added.

Education Minister V. Sivankutty also shared a message on Facebook, emphasizing the role of children as torchbearers of change. “The world of today and tomorrow belongs to children. Love and compassion are the true messages of Children’s Day,” he wrote.