VD walks the talk! Free bus travel for women from June 15, Rs 3000 raise for Asha workers, SIT to reinvestigate 2023 attacks

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: During his tenure as the opposition leader of Kerala, V.D. Satheesan had given a word to the protesting ASHA workers. In the first cabinet meeting after taking charge as the chief minister of Kerala, VD Satheesan led the cabinet to decide to allow free travel for women in KSRTC buses and increase the salary of ASHA workers by Rs. 3000.

An SIT investigation was also announced into the case of former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's gunmen brutally roughing up Youth Congress workers who waved black flags during the Nava Kerala Yatra.

Free travel for women in government buses will start from June 15. Kerala is the fourth state in the country to implement this. Details will be announced later. V.D. Satheesan said in a press conference after the cabinet meeting that it is important to walk the talk, so as to uphold credibility.

Free travel for women was the first of the five Indira Guarantees in the election manifesto. It was also decided to form a special department for the elderly, which is the second guarantee. This is the first of its kind in the country. The department for the elderly will be modelled in the way the project was implemented in Japan. It is expected that the scheme will start within two months.

The Chief Minister remarked that a state is judged civilised by how it treats the elderly. The newly sworn-in CM kept hope of turning Kerala into a civilised state in the near future.

ASHA workers will get a salary hike of Rs 3000 from next month. With this, the honorarium will increase from Rs 9000 to Rs 12000.

The decision was taken based on the assurance given to the ASHAs at the protest site. The demand for retirement benefits will be decided within a month. Anganwadi employees will be given a salary hike of Rs 1000. It will be increased from Rs 15500 to Rs 16500. It has also been decided to increase the salary of midday meal cooks, pre-primary teachers and nannies by Rs 1000 each.

On December 15, 2023, CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s gunmen brutally beat up Youth Congress and KSU activists who had waved black flags at a bus belonging to the New Kerala Sadas in Alappuzha. The Alappuzha Magistrate's Court had ordered a re-investigation on November 8, 2024. But no action was taken. The Home Department will announce the investigation team.

A white paper will be released to inform the public about the current economic situation in the state. A team of officials and economic experts will be appointed for this purpose. A special session of the Legislative Assembly will be recommended to the Governor on the 21st. Swearing-in of MLAs on the 21st. Election of Speaker on the 22nd. Governor's policy announcement on the 29th. G. Sudhakaran will be the pro-tem Speaker.

It was also decided to recommend to the Governor the steps to make appointments to the vacancies of the Local Ombudsman, State Election Commission, Information Commission, PSC members, etc.