By Social Justice Minister
Copyright thehindu
The State has embarked on an ambitious journey to chart out its development roadmap for the next decade through Vision 2031, a comprehensive plan aimed at building a just, inclusive, and forward-looking society.
A State-level seminar under the initiative of the Social Justice department was inaugurated by Social Justice Minister R. Bindu here on Friday, who emphasised that Kerala’s development model must prioritise its most vulnerable communities.
The Vision 2031 framework is aligned with the 75th anniversary of the State’s formation in 2031 and seeks to redefine policies across multiple sectors.
According to Dr. Bindu, the initiative will integrate expert insights to address the fast-changing socio-economic order, demographic transitions, and global human rights frameworks.
“We are committed to reinterpreting social justice through a rights-based approach while harnessing new technologies and participatory governance models,” the Minister said.
As part of the roadmap, five priority areas would see renewed focus: disability welfare, elderly care, transgender rights, probation services, and welfare-education institutions.
Dr. Bindu noted that the Social Justice department would be elevated as the nodal agency to ensure comprehensive, coordinated interventions. “By 2031, the State aims to build equitable social security measures that can serve as guiding principles for governance.”
During the seminar, the department’s Special Secretary Adeela Abdulla presented a review of the department’s work over the past nine years, followed by the formal submission of the draft policy paper.
The event also featured the release of the Vision 2031 logo and the logo of Anpu, a three-month campaign designed for persons with intellectual challenges. The campaign’s theme song, penned by poet Rafeeq Ahammed, was also unveiled.
Panel discussions covered five thematic areas — disability inclusion, senior citizen welfare, gender justice, functioning of welfare-education institutions, and probation reforms. The recommendations from these discussions will be consolidated into the final Vision 2031 policy document.
The seminar drew participation from legislators, policymakers, academics, activists, and civil society leaders, with over a 1,000 delegates attending.
