On November 1, coinciding with its formation or ‘Kerala Piravi’ day, Kerala will be declared a state free from extreme poverty, becoming India’s first state to eradicate extreme poverty. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will officially declare the leap at a grand event in Thiruvananthapuram. The event will be held in the capital city’s Central Stadium.
Dignitaries, including prominent actors Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Kamal Haasan, are expected to attend the ceremony as special guests. State ministers, the Leader of the Opposition and others will also attend the grand event. The Kerala government had launched the extreme poverty eradication drive in 2021 as one of the first Cabinet decisions of the current Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, which has now realised its goal.
In a post on social media platform X, Vijayan said the milestone marks the fulfilment of the first decision taken by the state government in 2021, when the LDF regime began its consecutive second term. “Instead of a one-size-fits-all policy, the government identified 64,006 vulnerable families and created specific micro-plans for each one’s unique needs,” he said.
The CM highlighted that with an investment of over Rs 1,000 crore, the government has ensured daily food for 20,648 families—2,210 of them receiving hot meals—provided necessary treatment and medicine to 85,721 individuals, and offered housing for thousands. He added that more than 5,400 new homes were built or are under construction, 5,522 homes were repaired, and 2,713 landless families received land to build residences.
In addition, 21,263 people received essential documents like ration cards, Aadhaar, and pensions for the first time, and 4,394 families were supported with livelihood projects, CM noted. “This was a massive joint effort by LSGs, Kudumbashree, and various government departments. This is the Kerala model of social justice, equity, and compassionate governance in action. Building #NavaKeralam means leaving no one behind,” he said on X.
