Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal presented the 2026–27 state budget on 29 January 2026, earmarking ₹14,500 crore for social security pensions and raising honorariums for ASHA and Anganwadi workers as welfare spending expands. Kerala’s latest budget places social security and frontline worker support at the centre of fiscal planning. In a notable boost for grassroots workers, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Anganwadi workers will receive an additional ₹1,000 per month in honorarium, while Anganwadi helpers are set to get ₹500 extra each month. By boosting pensions and raising honorariums for ASHA and Anganwadi workers, the state acknowledges the vital contributions of women and community workers and seeks to strengthen their economic security. This is an important acknowledgment, especially in a region where social welfare has shaped public expectations around dignity and rights.