Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala's Pinarayi Vijayan government, which had given free food kits for 13 months during the Covid pandemic, on Tuesday announced they will now distribute free food kits during Onam, which falls in September.

"There will be 14 items in the kit and it will cost the state government Rs 425 crore. During the pandemic period the distribution of free food kits for 13 months cost Rs 5,500 crore," Vijayan said at a press conference.

Incidentally after Vijayan was sworn in a second, unprecedented, time in May last year, the monthly kit was soon discontinued.