Apparently eyeing the upcoming assembly elections, Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Thursday unveiled a people-focused budget for 2026-27, promising a massive Rs 14,500 crore boost to help social security pensioners and fund a series of new community programmes.

Presenting the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led government`s sixth budget in the Legislative Assembly, Balagopal announced that the honorarium of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and Anganwadi workers has been hiked by Rs 1,000 per month and that of Anganwadi helpers by Rs 500.