Rajya Sabha passes Bills to change Kerala’s name, strengthen NCDC

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday (August 12, 2026) passed two more Bills — The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. The Upper House has so far passed about 10 Bills, other than some of the Money Bills which were returned to the Lok Sabha, during the stormy Monsoon Session.

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In the reply to a debate on the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the Bill was a step in continuation of the Kerala Assembly’s resolution in 2024 urging the Union government to change the name of the State to Keralam. “The Bill provides that the State of Kerala will be known as the State of Keralam, and hence there is a proposal to rename the State of Kerala to Keralam,” he said.

The Minister maintained that the Union government was committed to removing all symbols of slavery, names, signs, flags of institutions, or statues of great personalities that repeatedly wound the hearts of Indians and establish all things, signs, or works that represent the pride of India’s heritage. “The proposal to change the name of the State from Kerala to Keralam is not only a matter of pride for the people of Kerala but also for all Indians,” he said.

Savarkar row

Mr. Rai also mentioned a controversy in the State over disciplinary action against a teacher who prepared a quiz questionnaire where he described Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar as the freedom fighter “who received the maximum punishment at the hands of the British”. “Veer Savarkar is the name of dedication and sacrifice. Veer Savarkar is the name of firm determination. If a teacher is dismissed for asking questions about him, there can be nothing worse than that, and it is an insult to our freedom fighters. Therefore, that subject is very painful,” Mr. Rai said.

During the debate, Opposition MPs questioned the absence of Home Minister Amit Shah, who was supposed to pilot both the Bills. “As Kerala becomes Keralam, the Malayalis world over welcome that decision, and I join them in representing as a humble Malayali. I welcome that Bill. At the same time, we ask together, where is the Home Minister?” asked Congress member Jebi Mather. Leader of the House J.P. Nadda questioned this and asked the Chair to expunge her remarks.

There were demands to change the name of other States too. BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya demanded that the name of West Bengal be changed to Paschim Banga. Mr. Rai assured that the Union government could certainly consider it.

The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill will broaden the mandate of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) to give loans and grants directly to cooperative societies. Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol said the Bill did not have any provision for additional budgetary financial assistance by the government.

“The proposed amendment only expands the mandate and financial scope of the NCDC,” he said, adding that the amendments were not just limited to strengthening the NCDC but would strengthen the entire cooperative ecosystem, make it more modern and independent while also contributing to the country’s progress.