Various social service activities are planned and implemented by this department, which was set up in 1978.

In the field of housing to the poor, financial aid is imparted to homeless people in the society with the co-operation of the basic units of N.S.S; its karayogams.the department has set up 16 working women hostels with the aid of Ministry of Women and Child Department, Govt. of India to accommodate working women of low income group.

This department is also running orphanages to care to hundreds of orphans in the state providing food, accommodation, education, healthcare and physical development. The planning department is also running guest houses in pilgrim centers to provide safe and cheap accommodation facilities to pilgrims. A production cum training centre is functioning at Trivandrum which is providing technical training in various trades to the unemployed young generation.

Most important of all, the department is maintaining a free medical aid centre at Sabarimala to provide healthcare to the lakhs of pilgrims during the entire season.