THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Distribution of welfare pension in the state to begin on Friday. Finance Minister KN Balagopal announced that Rs 874 crore has been allocated, including Rs 768 crore for social security and Rs 106 crore for welfare pension. More than 60 lakh people in the state are given a pension of Rs 1600 each.

Meanwhile, KN Balagopal had said that the state will face a severe financial crisis in the current financial year. Balagopal's reaction came after a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in which he said that the state is owed to get some funds from the central government. Balagopal also demanded an end to the Centre's discriminatory action against the state government.