Pinarayi launches ‘Sthree Suraksha’ scheme with ₹1,000 monthly pension to 10,18,042 beneficiaries

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday officially launched the State government’s Sthree Suraksha Scheme to provide a monthly pension of ₹1,000 to unemployed women as well as transwomen. The first month’s payment was transferred on Monday afternoon to 10,18,042 beneficiaries whose applications have been cleared till now. Women aged 35 to 60, who are economically backward and not drawing benefits from other social welfare pension schemes, and trans women, will now start receiving ₹1,000 per month. The Scheme was part of a range of populist welfare measures aimed at working class voters that the CM had announced in October last year.  Calling it a decisive step in the creation of a women-friendly Kerala, Mr.Vijayan said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government has proved once again that promises are meant to be implemented. “Financial dependency often silences women. This intervention is to put an end to that silence and to assure them that the State stands with them. Every woman has the right to live with her head held high without reaching out to anyone or depending on others for her needs. The Women’s Safety Pension Scheme is meant to ensure that right. It is an important milestone in the journey towards building a State with gender justice as one of its foundations,” he said during the launch function held at Malayinkeezhu in the capital. He said that the relatively better social position of women in Kerala is owing to various interventions made over the years, beginning with the renaissance movements to government policy interventions. “The LDF government introduced gender budgeting making Kerala the first State to do so. Under this, every department makes a specific plan allocation focussed on projects for women. Many other initiatives such as the pink police wing were initiated in the past decade. Women safety is not just an election promise for us, but an uncompromising policy. Some economists might say that these initiatives are wrong. But we are of the opinion that the fruits of development should reach every section of the society and every region in the State,” he said. Minister for Local Self Governments M.B.Rajesh presided over the function. 

Published - February 11, 2026 07:07 pm IST