List of Kerala Government Schemes in 2026: What Is Running, On Hold or Only Promised

The list of Kerala government schemes has changed since the new state government took office in May 2026, so older lists point to schemes that are paused or not yet started. As of October 2026, these are running: the ₹2,000 monthly welfare pension, cashless family health cover of up to ₹5 lakh a year under Karunya Arogya Suraksha Padhathi (KASP), health insurance for government employees and pensioners (MEDISEP), and free travel for women and transgender persons on ordinary state buses.

Sthree Suraksha, the ₹1,000 monthly payment for women aged 35 to 60, is on hold during a review. The ₹3,000 pension and the ₹25 lakh Oommen Chandy health cover are promises without start dates, and the Life Mission housing scheme is being wound up. The table sorts each scheme by that status.

Which Kerala government schemes can you claim today?

Older lists get status wrong, so this table groups the main schemes by what you can use as of October 2026.

How does the Kerala welfare pension work, and when will it reach ₹3,000?

Kerala pays five social security pensions of ₹2,000 a month each, as a Kerala panchayat's pension guidance lists them. The Chief Minister told the Assembly on 22 June 2026 that about 62 lakh people receive them (Onmanorama report). The rise to ₹3,000 is one of the ruling UDF's six election guarantees, with no date given.

All five also test family income, land and vehicles, and exclude income tax payers. Apply at the local body where you permanently live, with Aadhaar, proof of age, an income certificate, the ration card and bank details. Existing pensioners must confirm eligibility when the government calls for mustering.

Two changes could reach you before any hike. The government will review the beneficiary list and remove people whose circumstances have improved, and the Chief Minister named an air conditioner at home as a disqualifying condition. Expect requests for fresh documents.

Where does Sthree Suraksha stand?

The scheme began in February 2026 under the previous government, paying ₹1,000 a month to unemployed women and transgender women aged 35 to 60 in Yellow or Pink ration card households with no other pension. Two instalments reached more than 16 lakh women. Payments then stopped, and the Chief Minister said in June that nothing would be paid without a thorough check of the list.

An Outlook Money report of 13 October 2026 says the review is still on. Ask your local body whether new applications are being taken before you collect documents.

Which health cover fits your family: KASP, MEDISEP or the ₹25 lakh scheme?

How your family is classified decides this, not preference.

• Government employee or pensioner. MEDISEP applies. Phase two began on 1 February 2026 with ₹5 lakh cover a year and a ₹687 monthly premium (Onmanorama, 21 January 2026). Confirm cashless acceptance with the hospital before a planned admission.
• Low-income household. KASP covers treatment up to ₹5 lakh a year per family at empanelled hospitals (Kerala Kaumudi, 14 March 2026). It depends on your family being on the state's list, so check with your local body or an empanelled hospital.
• Neither. The Oommen Chandy scheme is meant for you, with cover up to ₹25 lakh per family. A technical committee formed in September 2026 has four months to submit its project report, so enrolment is unlikely before early 2027. In June the Chief Minister said families earning over ₹1 lakh a month would not get free cover, while the September report promises minimal income limits. The report should settle it.

Is Life Mission still building houses in Kerala?

Life Mission, the housing programme for homeless and landless families, had completed 5,00,364 of 6,04,046 sanctioned houses by February 2026, per state figures reported by Onmanorama. The state added ₹4 lakh per house.

In May 2026 the new government decided to discontinue it. Reports say a replacement will let gram sabhas select beneficiaries, but none gives a name, a start date or the fate of houses already sanctioned. If you hold a sanction, ask your local body for its status in writing.

Which Kerala schemes help women and returning NRKs start a business?

The Kerala State Women's Development Corporation (KSWDC) lends to women entrepreneurs, with one line for women who have worked abroad. These figures are from its loan schemes page as of October 2026.

NRKs can join the Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board between ages 18 and 60 for a ₹200 fee. The monthly contribution is ₹350 for those working abroad and ₹200 for those who returned for good after at least two years of foreign employment. The family gets a pension of 50% of the member's pension after death. The page gives no pension amounts, so confirm them with the board.

These loans suit small shops and service units. For a factory, see where units cluster on our industrial areas of Kerala page, pick a product from business ideas in Kerala, and compare central credit under MSME schemes.

What should you do first, and which documents do you need?

1. Pin down your category: pensioner, government employee, ration card colour, woman entrepreneur or NRK.
2. Collect Aadhaar, ration card, income certificate, bank passbook details and proof of residence.
3. Apply at the panchayat, municipality or corporation where you live and keep the acknowledgment. The state's Sevana pension portal shows pension application status.
4. For anything only announced, wait for a government order. No agent can enrol you in a scheme that has none.
5. For a loan, write a short project plan with costs and expected sales. Startup funding options explains what lenders ask for. More programmes are in the government schemes hub.

Frequently asked questions

Does MEDISEP stop when the Oommen Chandy scheme starts?

No. The Chief Minister said in June 2026 that MEDISEP will continue, though the Oommen Chandy scheme takes precedence where the two overlap. With no start date for that scheme, MEDISEP members keep their cover and premium for now.

Who can travel free under the Priyadarshini scheme?

All women and transgender persons, regardless of income or age, on ordinary-class KSRTC buses only (The Week, 10 June 2026). Extension to other classes depends on KSRTC revenue improving over six months. Reports do not say which ID is checked.

Can I get a social security pension and a welfare board pension together?

Not at present. The Chief Minister told the Assembly in June 2026 that receiving both is not allowed, and no decision has been made on restoring it. Check before applying for a second pension.

What is the income limit for Kerala welfare pensions?

The panchayat guidance refers to a prescribed limit without stating a figure. Your local body's pension section holds the current limit and the land and vehicle conditions, so ask for them before paying for an income certificate.