2 months ago
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The Congress-led Opposition United Democratic Front’s (UDF) manifesto for the 2026 Kerala Assembly elections released successful Kochi connected Thursday (April 2, 2026) promises 5 ‘Indira guarantees’ and 5 “dream projects” focussing connected maritime, aviation sectors and a Tribal University successful Wayanad.
The 5 guarantees, which were announced earlier by Congress person Rahul Gandhi, see escaped autobus question for each women successful buses belonging to the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), ₹1,000 monthly fiscal assistance for college-going miss students, summation successful payment pension to ₹3,000 per month, ₹25-lakh wellness security screen for each household nether a strategy named aft erstwhile Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and interest-free loans up to ₹5 lakh for youths to commencement their ain businesses.
Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, who handed implicit a transcript of the manifesto to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, said that a dedicated Ministry for Senior Citizens volition besides beryllium created to guarantee dignity, attraction and focussed payment for the elderly, if the UDF is voted to power.
Five ‘dream’ projects
‘Mission Samudra’ figured apical among the 5 ‘dream’ projects successful the manifesto. It envisages integrating the possibilities offered by the State’s 600-km coastline, 44 rivers, 34 lakes, 4 planetary airports, high-range areas to elevate Kerala’s presumption successful the world’s maritime sector.
In the aviation sector, the UDF has promised facilities for modern aviator and aviation unit training, 2nd signifier of runway operation successful the Kochi airport, wide improvement of the Kannur airdrome and mounting up way improvement and connectivity fund.
Mr. Satheesan said that his beforehand aims to initiate astir 1,000 medium, tiny and micro enterprises (MSMEs) having a full turnover of astir ₹100 crore. A ‘job ticker tower’ volition beryllium acceptable up to analyse the changing accomplishment requirements successful the planetary occupation marketplace and marque required changes successful the State’s higher acquisition sector. The Tribal University projected successful Wayanad aims astatine ensuring the educational, taste and societal improvement of the tribal communities, helium said.
Other cardinal assurances
The different cardinal assurances successful the societal information and payment assemblage see mounting up a payment pension commission, 2nd signifier of ‘Ashraya’ task for the needy and instauration of ‘Indira canteens’ arsenic launched by the Kochi Corporation to supply prime nutrient astatine little rates to the public.
Mr. Satheesan said eligible peculiar schools volition beryllium fixed aided status. The minimum regular wages of the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) volition beryllium fixed astatine ₹700. The wage of anganwadi workers and those progressive successful the mentation of mid-day meals successful schools volition beryllium revised.
In the wellness sector, the manifesto has promised an summation successful Budget allocation, steps to trim the out-of-pocket wellness expenditure, ‘She Hospitals’ for women and children, ‘Ammawadi’ task for the aged women and tribal wellness clusters.
In the higher acquisition sector, the UDF has promised implementation of the ‘Sidharthan Anti-ragging and Student Welfare Act’ to cheque ragging. The Act has been named successful representation of the 20-year-old pupil who was recovered dormant astatine the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences successful Wayanad successful February 2024, allegedly pursuing ragging.
Other promises see enactment of Academic Syndicate, which volition relation arsenic the enforcement assemblage of the existing Academic Council, to cheque excessive politicisation of campuses.
‘Break the Drug Chain’ project
A ‘Break the Drug Chain’ task volition beryllium launched arsenic portion of the measures to ace down connected the cause menace successful the State.
Other promises see a peculiar instrumentality for extortion of spiritual rights of Sabarimala devotees, 5 lakh houses successful 5 years for the homeless, peculiar Agricultural Budget to beryllium presented alongside the State Budget, a minimum enactment terms of ₹300 for rubber, enactment of a State Vigilance Commission to cheque corruption and metro/light metro successful Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode and steps to accord manufacture tag to the State’s tourism sector.
