Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made a major, historic announcement in the Kerala Assembly, declaring that the state has become the first in India to be “extreme poverty-free.”

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The declaration was made on November 1st, marking the 69th birthday of the unified state of Kerala. However, the announcement was met with protest, as the Opposition party called the claim a fraud and boycotted the event.

Here are the full details of the declaration, the project, and the political controversy:

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1. The CM’s Historic Claim

 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stood in the Assembly and announced the successful completion of the state’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Project, stating: “Kerala is now an extreme poverty-free state.”

• Goal: The mission began as a major promise of the LDF ministry after their 2021 election victory.
• The Model: The CM called the achievement “yet another model before the country,” hoping it will set an example for other states to follow.
• Identification Process: The state launched a project to identify the extreme poor based on four key stress factors: Food, Health, Shelter, and Income.
  • After a multi-stage process involving public participation, the government officially identified 1,03,099 individuals across 64,006 families as living in extreme poverty.
• Funding and Rehabilitation: The government dedicated significant funds across three fiscal years (₹50 crore in 2023-24, ₹50 crore in 2024-25, and ₹60 crore set aside for 2025-26) to provide:
  • Housing: 28 acres of land were acquired to construct houses for 4,677 families and provide land/housing for 2,713 families. Over 2 acres of land were donated by the public under a scheme called ‘Land from the Heart’ (Manassodithiri Mannu).
  • Livelihood: Money was spent on creating sustainable livelihood options.
• Official Statistics: The CM cited NITI Aayog estimates from 2022-23, which stated that only 0.48% of Kerala’s population lived below the poverty line (compared to the national average of 11.28%). The CM confirmed that the 1,03,099 individuals targeted by the state fall within this official poverty list.

 

2. The Opposition Boycott

 

The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), led by V. D. Satheeshan, boycotted the Assembly proceedings, refusing to be part of the declaration.

• “Big Fraud”: Satheeshan declared the claim that Kerala is free of extreme poverty a “big fraud” and led the walkout, stating the UDF could not be party to it.
• Ongoing Agitation: The Opposition also stated they are still in “agitation mode” over the “Sabarimala loot issue,” demanding the resignation of the devaswom minister and the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board. They argued they could not cooperate with the government while this protest was ongoing.
• Questioned Timing: The Opposition Leader also questioned the need for a statement in the Assembly when the entire details of the project were already publicly available.

 

3. CM’s Response to the Boycott

 

The Chief Minister expressed surprise at the Opposition’s reaction. “It beats me why the Opposition is so rattled,” he said, defending the decision to announce the historic achievement through the Legislative Assembly to officially inform the world.

He concluded by stressing that the declaration is not the end, but the beginning, stating: “We will make sure that extreme poverty will not rear its head” in Kerala again.