Governor Rajendra Arlekar, in his policy address to the Kerala assembly, announced that the newly elected UDF government will implement five key welfare guarantees, collectively called Indira Guarantees, over its five-year term. The guarantees include free bus travel for women on KSRTC, a monthly welfare pension of Rs 3,000, a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 for female college students, a health insurance scheme of Rs 25 lakh per family named after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, and interest-free loans of up to Rs 5 lakh for young entrepreneurs.

The government also plans to issue a white paper on the state’s fiscal situation, aiming to transparently present the financial challenges. The policy address highlighted other measures such as three-day menstrual leave for school girls and the enforcement of reservation in Devaswom appointments.

Economic analyst Dr. Mary George, in a discussion on the address, said the Indira Guarantees reflect the vision of ‘New Age Kerala,’ where technology remains under human control. She noted that the previous LDF government left behind a severe fiscal crisis, with unpaid salary arrears and DA pending, and questioned the claim that Rs 5,429 crore remained in the treasury.

Dr. George suggested innovative financing, such as a transport lottery, to fund the free travel scheme for women. She stressed that the government must improve revenue generation and cut wasteful expenditure to implement the guarantees on time, but expressed confidence that the UDF administration would fulfill its promises within the five-year period.