Thiruvananthapuram: In its very first Cabinet meeting after assuming office on Monday, the new UDF government in Kerala announced two major welfare measures, with Chief Minister VD Satheesan declaring free travel for women in KSRTC buses from June 15 and a hike of Rs 3,000 in the honorarium of ASHA workers.

Further, the government announced a Rs 1,000 hike in honorarium for Anganwadi workers. Pre-primary teachers and ayahs (helpers) will also receive a Rs 1,000 increase, while cooking staff have likewise been granted a Rs 1,000 hike.

"I am the person who visited the ASHA workers’ protest venue both before the strike ended and on the day it concluded. I had assured them that assistance for them would begin to be announced in the very first Cabinet meeting itself. As part of that commitment, we are announcing a hike of Rs 3,000 for them in the first phase,” the Chief Minister said.

Satheesan also announced the formation of a separate Department for Senior Citizens Welfare.

“This is the first time in the country that a separate department is being formed in a state exclusively for senior citizens. Japan is the country that has implemented such a department in the best possible manner, and we will study its model while introducing the department here.”

The decisions were taken at the first Cabinet meeting chaired by Satheesan at the State Secretariat on Monday, hours after he and his 20-member ministry were sworn in.

The Cabinet recommended senior MLA G Sudhakaran as the pro-tem Speaker and requested the Governor to convene the Assembly for the swearing-in of MLAs and the election of the Speaker.

Satheesan was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Kerala earlier today, officially bringing the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) back to power after a ten-year hiatus, following their landslide victory in the 2026 Assembly elections.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to Satheesan and his 20-member Cabinet.