Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan says the Kerala government will ensure steps to provide skill training, guidance and facilities to market the products made by women to make them self-reliant.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has that the United Democratic Front government has accorded top priority to make women and backward communities self-reliant.

Women were the most impacted at times of a social or financial crisis as they had to bear the brunt of economic crisis in their families, illness and other difficulties in their lives, he said after inaugurating ‘Samagra – 2026’, the State-level inauguration of various welfare projects initiated by the Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation at Palluruthy in Kochi on Thursday (July 23, 2026).

He said that the government would ensure steps to provide skill training, guidance and facilities to market the products made by women to make them self-reliant. The government had lined up over 540 projects as part of its 100-day action plan. A separate portal had been set up to provide information to the public on the progress of each project. Review meetings were held every 20 days to ensure that the projects were implemented as per the schedule, he said.

‘Invest money’

The Chief Minister urged the women to invest the money they saved by availing themselves of the ‘Priyadarshini’ free travel scheme on Ordinary buses of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation in the ‘pink chitty’ scheme of the Kerala Sate Financial Enterprises.

K.A. Thulasi, Minister for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes Welfare, said in her presidential address that the Kerala State Backward Classes Development Corporation had drawn up plans in tune with the government’s resolve to provide a helping hand to the backward communities. She said that the ‘Priyadarshini’ free travel scheme and the low-interest loan initiatives had gained attention among the public.

V. E. Abdul Gafoor, Minister for Fisheries; Kochi Mayor V.K. Minimol; and MLAs Mohammed Shiyas, Deepak Joy, and Tony Chammany took part in the function.

Published - July 23, 2026 05:19 pm IST