From Rs 425 cr to Rs 32 cr: Cash-strapped Kerala limits Onam kits to AAY ration card holders

Last year, the state finance department had allocated Rs 425 crore for distributing free kits during Onam to all ration card holders. This year, with kit being limited to AAY card holders, the allocation is only Rs 32 crore.

The decision to restrict the distribution of Onam festival kit, a practice which Kerala has been following for the last many years, was taken considering the financial crisis of the government.

Although the state has been traversing through a financial crisis in recent years, this is the first time the government decided against distributing free Onam kits to all ration card holders in the state.

Distribution of free Onam kits had been a demonstration of the state government’s commitment to welfare.

During the Covid pandemic, free distribution of kits consisting of essential items had hit headlines. It had been reckoned as one of the factors that ensured the victory of the CPI(M)-led LDF in the 2020 local body elections and later the 2021 Assembly elections. During the pandemic, the state had spent Rs around 5,500 crore for distribution of free kits for several months.