Thiruvananthapuram: Ahead of the Vishu festival (April 14), the Kerala government has decided to distribute two months' welfare pension of Rs 3,200 together. Finance minister KN Balagopal said Rs 1,871 crore was sanctioned for this purpose.

The FM said that the government allocated Rs 22,000 crore for year-end expenditure in March even when the state was facing financial difficulties due to severe discrimination by the union government.

Balagopal added that the government is upholding the Left Democratic Front's stance by distributing welfare pensions to about 60 lakh beneficiaries immediately after the successful completion of the year-end expenditure.

The minister also said that the pension, which is the government's 'Vishukaineettam', would be distributed from April 10.