Kerala’s 2025-26 budget earmarks ₹8,021 crore for rural development—a 112% surge from prior estimates—focusing on employment, housing, and coastal resilience to uplift village economies.
Employment and Wage Guarantee
Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) secures ₹4,120 crore, ensuring 100 days of work for rural households while prioritizing sustainable asset creation like water conservation.
Housing Initiatives
Life Mission (Rural) receives ₹256 crore in interest subsidies via HUDCO loans, accelerating affordable housing construction. A new cooperative housing project targets 1 lakh units in two years for low-income families in rural and urban fringes.
Coastal and Innovation Projects
Coastal areas gain a ₹100 crore special package in phase one for geo-tube offshore breakwaters, protecting livelihoods from erosion. A green hydrogen valley pilot launches with ₹5 crore using renewables, fostering rural green jobs.
These schemes integrate with agriculture support like ₹600 crore rubber incentives, aiming for inclusive growth amid 6.19% GSDP expansion.
