THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the Pinarayi Vijayan government prepares to declare Kerala the first state in the country free from extreme poverty on November 1 – Kerala Piravi Day – several distinguished economists and social activists have raised serious questions about the credibility of the data and methodology used for the claim.
In an open letter addressed to the state government on Thursday, the 24 signatories, including social activist R V G Menon, economists M A Oommen and K P Kannan, former TNIE editor M K Das, and others, urged the government to release an authoritative study report that identifies the extremely poor and validates the poverty eradication process.
The missive highlighted that the government’s announcement – based on a public-participation survey identifying 64,006 extremely poor families – lacks transparency on how the data were compiled and what parameters were applied. The survey, conducted from July 2021, classified families as extremely poor using four criteria: food security, safe shelter, basic income, and health status.
However, the signatories questioned the authenticity of the survey and demanded to know which expert committee had conducted it. It also highlighted inconsistencies between official data and government claims.
As per the Kerala Economic Review 2024, there are 5.92 lakh families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) – the poorest category under the National Food Security Act, 2013. These families currently receive free rice and wheat from the state government, with the Centre providing the grains at subsidised rates. “If Kerala has only 64,006 extremely poor families, does that mean the AAY category will cease to exist? Will the Centre’s assistance under this scheme also end?” the letter asked.
It questioned whether the extremely poor being referred to are simply the destitute families identified earlier under the Ashraya Scheme, launched in 2002 to aid the most vulnerable households. The letter also sought clarity on whether the current programme is a continuation or repackaged version of Ashraya, which had initially identified 1.18 lakh families – later reduced to 64,006.
Further, they pointed to discrepancies in tribal data. According to the 2011 Census, there were 4.85 lakh tribal people in Kerala, many of them living in extreme poverty. Yet, in the new estimate, only 6,400 have been classified as extremely poor -- just 5.5% of the total. “What magic has happened to alleviate their poverty?” the letter asked pointedly.
The group demanded that the government clarify the survey’s methodology, including whether it was reviewed by the state statistics department or the planning board, and whether the poverty parameters used conform to national or international standards.
“Eradicating extreme poverty is a grave socio-economic challenge and not a matter for political propaganda,” the letter stated.
In an open letter addressed to the state government on Thursday, the 24 signatories, including social activist R V G Menon, economists M A Oommen and K P Kannan, former TNIE editor M K Das, and others demanded that the government clarify the survey’s methodology, including whether it was reviewed by the state statistics department or the planning board, and whether the poverty parameters used conform to national or international standards.
