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On 1 November, the Kerala government declared that the state is now free from extreme poverty — the first state in India to make such a claim. Achieving this required a multi-year, specially designed policy involving thousands of government staff, local body representatives, Kudumbashree workers and volunteers. An estimated ₹1,000 crore has been spent to reach this milestone. The methodology behind this achievement is particularly interesting and is described below.

Kerala’s Development Status

People across India often associate Kerala with its strong education system. This is not simply a product of modern planning. Kerala’s high literacy levels were built over centuries under the princely states, long before Independence. The rulers recognised the importance of educating ordinary people and invested heavily in primary and secondary education. As a result, Kerala entered the post-Independence era with the highest literacy in India, and today the state has achieved 100% primary education.

Kerala’s progress extends beyond education. The state is known for its high quality of life, robust health system, the highest literacy rate at 94%, high life expectancy, and the lowest infant mortality rate in India. Economically, Kerala is not among the highest per-capita income states, but in 2023 NITI Aayog reported that Kerala has the lowest Multidimensional Poverty Index among all Indian states.

In terms of gender equality, too, Kerala performs well, with a favourable sex ratio and female workforce participation above the national average.

How Kerala claims to have eliminated Extreme Poverty

The success comes from the Extreme Poverty Eradication Project (EPEP), launched in 2021 by the Pinarayi Vijayan government. The first task was identification — locating families that remained extremely poor despite existing welfare schemes. A detailed statewide survey identified 64,006 such families. The criteria for extreme poverty included deprivation in food security, access to healthcare, income, and housing. Local self-governments, the Kudumbashree mission, and nearly four lakh volunteers played key roles in the process.

The Policy Approach

Unlike typical government programmes that rely mainly on broad, uniform measures such as cash transfers, free medical care, free schooling or housing support, Kerala adopted a micro-level strategy. Each extremely poor family was treated individually, with interventions tailored to its specific situation.

This approach ensured that families first received essential documents such as Aadhaar and ration cards. Medical support was provided where needed, from palliative care to assistive devices. Housing and land were arranged in many cases, often through fast-track procedures. Livelihood support, skill training and self-employment opportunities were offered in cases where income deprivation was the primary cause.

The underlying idea was that each family experiences poverty differently. A single macro policy cannot effectively solve all problems. A customised plan, on the other hand, can directly address the root causes of a particular family’s poverty.

Understanding Poverty Measurement

Poverty has historically been measured by defining a poverty line, a minimum income or expenditure needed to meet basic requirements. Another method, the poverty gap ratio, measures how far the poor are from this line, with a larger gap indicating deeper poverty. The headcount ratio simply measures the percentage of people below the poverty line.

A more comprehensive tool is the World Bank’s Multidi-mensional Poverty Index (MPI), which considers deprivation not only in income but also in health, education and living conditions. It studies nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, school attendance, availability of water and sanitation, electricity, cooking fuel and house- hold assets. The Kerala government used the MPI frame- work while designing and implementing its poverty eradication strategy.

Debates and Criticisms

Kerala’s declaration has generated debate among opposition parties and some economists. Critics argue that the claim should ideally be validated by an independent national or international body. Some also demand that the government make its methodology more transparent so that its results can be examined rigorously.

Despite these criticisms, even sceptics acknowledge that the initiative is bold, ambitious and centred on human needs. The approach deserves appreciation for its attempt to deal with extreme poverty in a structured and compassionate manner.

Conclusion

No programme is perfect, and Kerala’s approach may have its limitations. But it represents a significant step toward tackling one of humanity’s most serious challenges. The programme must continue, as gains can be reversed if monitoring weakens. Reports suggest that the state government is aware of this risk and plans to maintain strict oversight.

Kerala may not have eliminated every challenge, but it has undoubtedly set an example worth studying.