The State government will bear the medical expenses of award-winning Malayalam writer U.A. Khader.

Minister of Labour and Excise T.P. Ramakrishnan and Transport Minister A.K.Saseendran had visited the writer on Saturday following reports that he was recuperating after a knee replacement surgery and a lung surgery recently.

Briefing the media later, the Ministers said that the government had taken note of his condition and the huge expenses incurred for treatment, and later announced that the State would take over further expenses. They said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had insisted that appropriate action be taken.

Purushan Kadalundi, MAL, accompanied the Ministers on the visit.

Meanwhile, Mr. Khader said he would continue to contribute to Malayalam literature, especially at a time when there is huge cultural depreciation. He said that his mind was active even though there were physical difficulties. “The role of writers is huge at this time when factionalism was growing. I am on the side of humanity,” he said. He said he was happy that he was still being considered on grounds of his writings.

Mr. Khader has published a number of novels, novellas, short stories, travelogues and works of nonfiction in Malayalam. He is best known for his novel ‘Thrikkottur Peruma’ that fetched him the Kendra Sahitya Akademy Award and Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. His latest work is ‘Shatru’ published in 2011.