THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala will declare itself the first extreme poverty-free state in the country on November 1. Though the government’s claim has set off a debate across the nation, the journey it took it has been remarkable.
The formal declaration -- to be made at a stellar event scheduled to be held at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, in Thiruvananthapuram -- will help Kerala conform with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of ‘no poverty’ and ‘zero hunger’.
As per latest World Bank criteria, people living on less than $3 a day are considered to be living in extreme poverty. Its journey to eradicate extreme poverty took Kerala on the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) framework route -- which incorporates nutritious food, housing, cleanliness, education, and basic facilities. The key reasons for extreme poverty were identified as lack of housing, livelihood issues, ill-health due to chronic diseases, and the lack of access to government welfare schemes due to a lack of proper documents.
Kerala took up the Extreme Poverty Eradication Project in 2021. It began with a survey conducted by officials with the local self-government department and women self-help networks, including Asha workers and Anganwadi staff. Support was also extended by the LIFE Mission, various government departments, including education and health, NGOs, and resident associations.
The survey identified 64,006 families (1,03,099 people, 0.2% of the state’s population) falling under this category, in over 1,032 local bodies. The state, in its budget, allocated Rs 50 crore each in 2023-24 and 2024-25 towards the project. A sum of Rs 60 crore was earmarked in 2025.
A total of 5,422 new houses were built and 5,522 houses renovated. Nearly 28.32 acres of land were distributed to 439 families, and 34,672 families were provided with an additional income of Rs 77 crore through the unskilled work sector. Moreover, 21,263 families received essential services and documents such as Aadhaar cards, ration cards, UDID, electoral ID, and health insurance through a single government order. The government kept a close check on LSG bodies to avoid the usual complaints of executional delays.
On April 13, 2025, Dharmadom was declared the first extreme poverty-free constituency. Kottayam was named the first extreme poverty-free district on June 28.
Drama in the run-up
The final measure as part of the state government’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Project was quite dramatic.
After the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the chief minister along with other ministers made their way into the conference room, where a dashboard of the project was on display. Just one glance showed that just one family, from central Kerala, was left on the list.
In keeping with the cabinet decision, the stamp duty on the house and property purchased for the family by the local self-government department was immediately waived. The very next moment, the dashboard went empty. The government had scripted history.
