With polls round the corner, Kerala announces 2 instalments of monthly social welfare pension

The Kerala government on Sunday announced that they will pay two more instalments of the pending social welfare pension, as promised by state Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal last month, despite the deep financial crisis that the state is facing.

In March, the Rs 1,600 monthly social welfare pension to more than six million people was in arrears for six months. After paying one instalment last month, Balagopal had promised the state would do its best to provide the next allotment ahead of the Eid and Vishu festivals, and keeping his word, it was announced that Rs 3,200 (two months' worth) will be paid from Tuesday onwards.

The amount will either be credited to the beneficiary's bank account or will be distributed through the Cooperative societies.

The arrears in the pension to the weaker sections of the society was one of the biggest campaign points of the Congress-led opposition, which accused the Pinarayi Vijayan government of indulging in wasteful expenditure and leaving the people who wait for this monthly pension in despair.

Kerala goes to the polls on April 26th to elect 20 new Lok Sabha members.