Finance Minister Thomas Issac, while presenting the budget for 2017-18 in the Kerala assembly on Friday, announced free medicines for people suffering from lifestyle diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol.

Issac said the medicines would be supplied through the state-run hospitals at all levels.

"I am setting aside Rs 10 crore for revamping facilities at the Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals which will be producing these medicines," said Issac, who hails from Alappuzha district, where the factory is based.

Studies have pointed out that in Kerala 22 per cent of the population above the age of 25 has been diagnosed with diabetes and is heading to become the diabetic capital of the country.

Likewise, hypertension is on the increase and affects more than 20 per cent of adult population and when it came to incidence of cholesterol it has been found out that almost 50 per cent of the general adult population in the state is on the higher side in cholesterol levels.