Kerala's Women's Safety Scheme Sparks Political Showdown

Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan criticizes the Kerala government for scrutinizing the Women's Safety Scheme, highlighting the transparency of the scheme and accusing the Chief Minister of undermining it. The scheme, covering 1.6 million beneficiaries, faces delays amid political disagreements on its continuation.

In a heated session in the Kerala Assembly, Opposition Leader and former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched a scathing attack on the ruling government over increased scrutiny of the Women's Safety Scheme. The protest arose after the Speaker refused to allow an adjournment motion, asserting that the issue was already addressed by the Chief Minister.

Vijayan criticized the Chief Minister's stance on the scheme's verification process as "objectionable and unfortunate," defending the transparency and legitimacy of the process initiated during the previous administration. The scheme, aimed at providing financial security to women and transgender individuals aged 30 to 60, mandates necessary verification through the K-SMART platform.

Highlighting political discord, Vijayan accused the Chief Minister of trying to undermine the scheme, which currently benefits 1.6 million individuals. He questioned the delay in processing over five lakh verified applications, suggesting it might be politically motivated. Meanwhile, Chief Minister VD Satheesan countered by accusing the LDF of delaying welfare measures until the end of its term.