Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan chaired his maiden cabinet meeting on Monday, 18 May in Thiruvananthapuram, rolling out a sweeping set of welfare decisions within hours of assuming office — signalling that the new Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government intends to move fast on its election guarantees.

Free KSRTC Travel for Women

The most headline-grabbing announcement was the grant of free travel for women in KSRTC buses, effective 15 June. The decision fulfils one of the five guarantees the UDF had placed at the centre of its election campaign. Kerala's state-run bus network serves millions of daily commuters, making the measure one of the broadest immediate welfare interventions the new government could have chosen.

India's First Senior Citizen Welfare Department

The cabinet approved the creation of a dedicated department for senior citizen welfare — described by Satheesan as the first such standalone department in the country. Drawing on Japan's elderly care model, the government has commissioned a detailed study of the Japanese system to be completed within two months.

'A society is judged by how it treats its elderly. Kerala will soon become a model state in caring for senior citizens,' CM Satheesan said after the meeting. Kerala's demographic profile — one of the oldest age structures among Indian states — lends particular urgency to the initiative.

Wage Hikes for Frontline and Anganwadi Workers

ASHA workers received a ₹3,000 hike in their monthly honorarium, raising it to ₹12,000 — a promise the UDF had made during campaigning. Retirement benefit announcements for ASHA workers are expected within a month. Separately, Anganwadi workers, catering workers, pre-primary teachers, and ayahs were granted a ₹1,000 increase in wages. Satheesan indicated that further benefits would be considered as the state's fiscal position improves.

Key Appointments and Assembly Schedule

Veteran former Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) leader G. Sudhakaran — who was expelled from the party and contested with UDF support — was appointed Pro-tem Speaker. The swearing-in of MLAs is scheduled for 21 May, with the Speaker's election the following day. The Governor is set to address the Assembly on 29 May.

Senior advocate Jaiju Babu was named Advocate General after the incumbent resigned, while T. Asaf Ali was appointed Director General of Prosecution.

SIT Probe and Financial Transparency

The cabinet ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged assault on Youth Congress workers during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme in Alappuzha in December 2023. The government also announced that an expert committee would prepare a White Paper on Kerala's finances, and that monsoon preparedness would be treated as an urgent priority of the new administration.