Kerala Assembly election 2026: Opposing fronts offer to hike welfare pension, enhanced health insurance coverage, metro rail

The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Opposition alliance, United Democratic Front (UDF), have separately offered to improve social welfare schemes for the weaker sections and introduce women-specific projects on Thursday (April 2, 2026) to win the trust of voters in their poll manifestos.

The two opposing fronts released their manifestos for the 2026 Kerala Assembly election on the same day.

The UDF manifesto was dominated by five guarantees and five dream projects with special emphasis on women. The guarantees of the front include free bus travel for women on buses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, a monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000 each for college-going girls, an increase in welfare pension to ₹3,000 per month, ₹25-lakh health insurance cover for every household and interest-free loans up to ₹5 lakh for youths to start their own businesses.

The Congress-led front hopes to garner the support of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), who have long been demanding wage revision, through the promise to increase their daily wage to ₹700 and revise the salary of anganwadi workers and those involved in the preparation of mid-day meals in schools.

A ‘Mission Samudra,’ which envisaged integrating the possibilities offered by the State’s 600-km coastline, 44 rivers, 34 lakes, four international airports, and high-range areas to elevate Kerala’s position in the world’s maritime sector, was the highlight of the dream project. Setting up of a modern pilot and aviation staff training facility, development of the second phase of the runway of Cochin International Airport Limited and the overall development of the Kannur airport have found place in the manifesto.

The party has repeated its promise to enact legislation to protect the religious rights of Sabarimala devotees, an offer which it had made during the protests following the Supreme Court order permitting the temple entry of women.

On its part, the LDF has promised to take forward the Nava Kerala campaign, which covered 950 proposals, if voted back to power.

The second phase of Life Mission 2.0, the housing project for the poor, to make Kerala a no-homeless State, a campaign to eradicate absolute poverty, hiking the welfare pension from ₹2,000 to ₹3,000, transformation of the State into a knowledge society in five years, assured job opportunities for educated youth through campus placements, a ‘Back to Campus’ scheme for skill enhancement, and interest-free loans for entrepreneurs have found place in the document.

The front has outlined plans to identify and lift as many as 5 lakh severely poor families from poverty. The LDF has offered to generate employment opportunities for women and provide jobs to 2 million homemakers.

The LDF governments have promised to elevate higher education to global standards, address learning gaps in public education, and expand technical education initiatives.

While the UDF promised a ₹25-lakh health insurance cover for every household under a scheme named after former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the LDF has offered to implement a universal health coverage scheme and limitless treatment benefits. At present, 42 lakh beneficiaries are getting treatment benefits up to ₹5 lakh a year under Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi.

Metro Rail has found mention in the manifestos of both fronts. While the UDF has offered to develop Metro/Light Metro in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode, the LDF has also revealed its plans to develop Metro Rail projects for the two cities. The LDF also offered to consider the option of developing the Water Metro in Alappuzha, Kollam, and Kodungallur.