Keralam Cabinet approves Bill to protect senior citizens

The State Cabinet approved a Bill seeking legal guarantees for older residents and plans to introduce it in the Legislative Assembly. Cabinet approval does not mean the proposal has become law.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan said after a Cabinet meeting that the government plans to introduce the Bill during the Assembly session beginning on Monday. The measure proposes support for older people amid demographic change. It would need the Assembly’s approval to take effect.

After taking office in May, the government created a dedicated Department for the Welfare of the Elderly and later renamed it the Department for Senior Citizens. In its revised budget for 2026–27, the United Democratic Front (UDF) government said it intended to develop infrastructure for older residents and a “silver economy.”

The second session of the 16th Legislative Assembly is scheduled to last nine days and will focus mainly on government business. Under the published schedule, supplementary demands for the 2026–27 budget are due to be tabled on October 15. Discussion and voting are scheduled for October 26, with the related Appropriation Bills due on October 29.

The State recently received the official name Keralam, replacing Kerala. Assembly Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the Malayalam name for the Legislative Assembly should grammatically be written as one word, Keralaniyamasabha. India’s Home Ministry notified the renaming in August.