The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to rename the State of Kerala as Keralam, initiating the constitutional process for altering the official name while also clearing a series of significant infrastructure, economic and governance-related decisions spanning railways, aviation, metro expansion, energy investment and agricultural pricing.
Announcing the decision after the Cabinet meeting, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that following Cabinet approval, the President of India will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views. After receiving the Assembly’s response, the Government of India will proceed further and obtain the President’s recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament for formally altering the name of the State of Kerala to “Keralam.”
The move follows a resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly on June 24, 2024, seeking the change. The renaming proposal reflects a long-standing cultural and linguistic preference, as “Keralam” aligns with the Malayalam pronunciation of the State’s name. The constitutional process under Article 3 requires that the President refer the proposed legislation to the concerned State Legislature for its views before Parliament takes it up.
The Cabinet’s decision marks a formal step in that process and signals the Centre’s readiness to act upon the State Assembly’s resolution. Once introduced and passed by Parliament, the name change would be reflected in the Constitution and official records.
Major rail, aviation and metro infrastructure projects approved
In addition to the renaming proposal, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved three multitracking railway projects covering eight districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The total estimated cost of these projects stands at ₹9,072 crore and they are scheduled for completion by 2030–31.
The approved railway works include doubling the Gondia–Jabalpur railway line, the addition of third and fourth lines between Punarakh and Kiul in Bihar, and similar third and fourth lines between Gamharia and Chandil in Jharkhand. These projects will expand the existing Indian Railways network by approximately 307 kilometres. The multitracking is expected to ease congestion, improve freight movement efficiency and enhance passenger connectivity in key industrial and agricultural corridors.
The Cabinet Committee also approved the development of a Civil Enclave at Srinagar International Airport at an estimated cost of ₹1,677 crore. The project, spread over 73 acres, is described as a major step toward strengthening aviation infrastructure and connectivity in the Kashmir Valley. The scope of work includes not only passenger facilities but also the construction of barracks for security personnel, reflecting integrated planning for operational and security requirements.
Further, the Cabinet cleared the extension of the existing North-South corridor of Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation Limited from GIFT City to Shahpur. The proposed extension will span 3.33 kilometres and include three elevated stations. The project, estimated to cost over ₹1,067 crore, is expected to be completed in approximately four years. The extension is aimed at improving urban mobility and connectivity within the rapidly developing GIFT City region and surrounding urban zones.
In the energy sector, the Cabinet approved enhanced delegation of powers to Power Grid Corporation of India Limited. The equity investment threshold for its subsidiaries has been increased from ₹5,000 crore to ₹7,500 crore per subsidiary under revised guidelines applicable to Maharatna CPSEs. This decision is intended to strengthen POWERGRID’s ability to expand investments in its core transmission business, particularly to support the evacuation of renewable energy capacity. The move aligns with the national target of achieving 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity.
The Cabinet also approved the Minimum Support Price for raw jute for the marketing season 2026–27. The MSP of raw jute (TD-3 grade) has been fixed at ₹5,925 per quintal. According to the Minister, this represents a 61.8 percent return over the all-India weighted average cost of production. The revised MSP is ₹275 per quintal higher than the previous marketing season, reflecting continued policy emphasis on ensuring remunerative prices for farmers.
Governance vision reaffirmed at Seva Teerth
The Union Cabinet also reiterated its commitment to making Seva Teerth a global example of sensitive, accountable and citizen-centric governance. During its first meeting at the Seva Teerth premises, the Cabinet adopted the Seva Sankalp Resolution, reaffirming its resolve to work toward building a prosperous, capable and self-reliant India by 2047.
The resolution stated that Seva Teerth would serve as a powerful centre of national aspirations and that every decision taken there would be inspired by a spirit of service toward 1.4 billion citizens. The Cabinet emphasised that governance decisions would remain connected to the broader objective of nation-building and would be guided by the principle of “Nagrik Devo Bhava,” underscoring respect and service to citizens.
The Cabinet further expressed confidence that, with renewed energy and accelerated reform efforts, the Government would fulfil its commitment to securing India’s place among the top three economies of the world in the near future. The reference to the “Reform Express” highlighted the administration’s focus on rapid structural changes and economic transformation.
Taken together, the Cabinet decisions span constitutional, infrastructural, economic and governance domains. From initiating the formal process to rename Kerala as Keralam, to expanding railway networks, strengthening aviation and metro infrastructure, boosting renewable energy transmission capacity, supporting farmers through enhanced MSP and reaffirming governance commitments at Seva Teerth, the meeting reflected a broad policy agenda.
