The Kerala state cabinet granted in-principle approval to raise ₹1,500 crore as a loan for the LIFE Mission housing scheme. The funding, secured through a government guarantee from Hudco via the Kerala Urban and Rural Development Finance Corporation (KURDFC), is intended to accelerate ongoing housing projects and provide focused support to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities under the state’s flagship housing initiative.
Out of the total approved borrowing of ₹1,500 crore, ₹1,100 crore has been allocated to fund 1,27,601 houses currently under construction across the state. The remaining ₹400 crore is earmarked specifically for housing assistance to SC and ST beneficiaries residing in gram panchayats where these communities form the majority of the LIFE Mission list. The loan is planned to be disbursed over two financial years, with ₹750 crore slated for 2025-26 and another ₹750 crore for 2026-27. The repayment of the loan will be carried out over 15 years, deducted from the development fund of local bodies via KURDFC, while the state government will bear the annual interest component from its budget.
The LIFE Mission, launched by the Kerala government, is aimed at providing housing for all households in need, focusing on the economically weaker sections and vulnerable communities. The approval of this loan demonstrates the government’s commitment to completing ongoing projects and ensuring equitable distribution of housing resources.
In addition to housing development, the cabinet announced a special Onam gift for senior ST members. A total of 52,864 ST beneficiaries aged above 60 years, excluding pensioners in central, state, and semi-government institutions, will receive ₹1,000 each from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund. The allocation for this purpose is ₹5.28 crore, reflecting the government’s targeted approach towards supporting senior members of historically marginalized communities.
The cabinet also approved guidelines for payment of bonuses to public sector undertaking (PSU) employees for the financial year 2024-25. These guidelines are being framed based on inputs from the industries, planning, and finance departments, aiming to ensure timely and structured financial benefits to government employees.
In the education sector, the cabinet sanctioned the creation of new teaching posts across five recently opened government nursing colleges in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Palakkad, Wayanad, and Kasaragod. Each institution will receive one assistant professor and one associate professor post, while the Nursing College Annex in Thiruvananthapuram will get two assistant professor posts and one associate professor post. This move is expected to strengthen healthcare education infrastructure in the state and improve the quality of nursing education.
To support governance and regulatory oversight, the cabinet sanctioned appointments in nine newly started KSBC FL warehouses in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode. Three excise circle inspectors, three preventive officers, and three civil excise officers will be appointed for one-year tenures to manage the operations of these warehouses effectively.
The cabinet also approved the reappointment of retired IHRD associate professor P. Suresh Kumar as the managing director of the Centre for Advanced Printing and Training. Additionally, it reviewed the progress of the ongoing File Adalat, aimed at clearing pending files in government departments from July 1 to August 31. Departments failing to meet previous targets will be called for review meetings, and concerned ministers and secretaries will be instructed to take stricter measures.
Under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative, projects submitted by various departments have received approval, including the construction of roads in Pathanamthitta, Kollam, and Vattavada panchayat, Idukki. The public works and local self-government departments are spearheading these infrastructure projects to improve connectivity and enhance rural development.
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