Welfare Schemes Stalled as UDF Government Completes Five Months in Keralam

Thiruvananthapuram: The number of welfare schemes being stalled is increasing day by day as the UDF government completes five months in office. The UDF government is moving away from several major social security and welfare schemes implemented by the previous LDF government.

The distribution of lump-sum grants for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students in the state has been pending for more than four months. The educational financial assistance provided by the government to students has been disrupted, putting the education of around eight lakh students across the state in difficulty.

The 'Sthree Suraksha Pension Scheme', which provides Rs 1,000 per month to homemakers, has also been stalled. The Chief Minister had argued that the Sthree Suraksha Pension was announced by the previous government and that the UDF government had not yet taken a decision on the matter. The UDF government, which claims to have implemented free travel for women in KSRTC, continues without taking a decision on the Sthree Suraksha Pension Scheme.

For the first time in the 80-year history of Travancore Titanium Products, a public sector undertaking under the state Industries Department, employees' salaries have been delayed. The salaries of 530 permanent employees and hundreds of casual and contract workers for August and September have not been paid. After the UDF government came to power, production was halted in June without purchasing raw materials, citing the need to ensure salary payments. Despite this, the government has neither been able to ensure timely salary payments nor resume production at full capacity.

The supply of essential medicines to Endosulfan victims has also been disrupted amid a severe crisis in the health sector. The distribution has been completely halted for more than three months. The crisis has arisen because a large amount of dues for medicines supplied through Neethi Medical Stores remains unpaid. This has left Endosulfan victims in 11 panchayats in Kasaragod district facing difficulties.

The Chief Minister's Connect to Work Scholarship, which provided Rs 1,000 per month to young people aged between 18 and 30, has also been discontinued by the UDF government.

The Pravasi Welfare Pension, which was provided without interruption for 10 years by the LDF government, has also been stalled after the UDF government came to power. The government has adopted a stance of neglect towards the Pravasi Welfare Fund Board, which has been a source of support for tens of thousands of expatriates and their families.

Emergency flood relief is also being delayed. Weeks after the floods, many families have not received the announced emergency financial assistance of Rs 10,000. The process has slowed after only a few selected beneficiaries were given half the amount. Even the list of eligible beneficiaries has not been prepared.

Nutritional food distribution for tribal children aged between six months and three years and others in Attappady has also stopped. Wheat used to prepare the Amrutham nutritional mix provided to children at anganwadis has not been distributed for three months.