Kerala became first Indian state to eliminate extreme poverty, marking a historic milestone in India’s socio-economic progress. The achievement was announced on November 1, 2025, coinciding with the 69th Formation Day of Kerala, and comes after a four-year mission under the Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP) led by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government.
This accomplishment aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: “No Poverty”, and showcases Kerala’s localized, data-driven, and participatory governance model in addressing multidimensional poverty.
Background: Kerala’s Four-Year Mission
Kerala’s anti-poverty drive began soon after the LDF government took office in 2021. In its first Cabinet meeting, the government decided to identify and rehabilitate families living in extreme deprivation — those without income stability, housing, food security, or healthcare access.
By 2021-end, local bodies, with the help of Kudumbashree volunteers, community workers, and ward-level committees, began a comprehensive mapping of the poorest families. The process involved multiple verification levels, including local committees and gram sabhas, ensuring transparency and accuracy.
Finally, 64,006 families (1,03,099 individuals) were identified as living in extreme poverty, using four-point criteria:
- Access to food
- Access to health care
- Means of livelihood
- Availability of housing
Understanding Extreme Poverty
World Bank’s 2025 Definition:
- Extreme poverty = living on less than USD 3/day (2021 PPP).
- Earlier benchmark (2017 PPP): USD 2.15/day.
- Poverty classification:
- Extreme poor: <$3/day
- Poor (non-extreme): Between $3–$4.20/day
- Lower-middle income poverty line: $4.20/day
- Upper-middle income poverty line: $8.30/day
Global Context (World Bank, 2025):
- 838 million people globally live in extreme poverty.
- India: Decline from 16.2% (2011–12) to 2.3% (2022–23) — about 171 million people lifted out of extreme poverty.
- Drivers of decline: Employment growth, urbanization, and social welfare expansion.
- Persistent challenges: Youth unemployment (13.3%), female labour participation (31%), and informal job dominance (77%).
Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP): Kerala’s Model
Launch Year: 2021
Nodal Agency: Local Self-Government Department, Kerala
Implementation Support: Kudumbashree, LSG bodies, and trained volunteers (4 lakh personnel)
Key Interventions and Achievements
Documentation Drive:
- Over 21,000 people received ration cards, Aadhaar cards, and ID documents under the “Avakasam Athivegam” (Rights Fast) campaign.
Food Security:
- 20,648 families provided food through Kudumbashree networks and local bodies.
Healthcare:
- Access to regular medicines, vaccinations, palliative care, and even organ transplants for the needy.
Housing and Land:
- Under LIFE Mission, 4,677 families were given homes and 2,713 families received both land and homes.
Livelihood Support:
- 4,394 families received employment or business aid; 35,000+ families enrolled in MGNREGS.
Education:
- 331 students received scholarships and 5,583 children were offered special support, including free travel to school.
Each identified family had a custom micro-plan, ensuring tailored solutions — from basic documentation to healthcare and education access.
Kerala’s Performance in National Indices
NITI Aayog’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2023:
- Kerala is least impoverished state in India.
- Only 0.55% of its population is multidimensionally poor (vs national average 14.96%).
- Kerala uses broader parameters than MPI- combining income, nutrition, housing, and healthcare access.
Long-term Trend:
- Poverty in Kerala reduced from 59.8% (1970s) to near zero.
- Success attributed to strong social policies in education, public health, and social security under successive governments.
How Kerala’s Model is Different?
Unlike national poverty schemes that rely on self-enrolment or survey-based income data, Kerala adopted:
- Door-to-door enumeration by local bodies.
- Participatory verification through gram sabhas.
- Micro-level intervention planning instead of generic welfare delivery.
- Inclusion of vulnerable groups — the elderly, persons with disabilities, and women-headed households.
This model demonstrates that poverty eradication requires governance innovation — not just higher income thresholds.
India’s Approach to Measuring Poverty
- Institution: NITI Aayog (since 2015)
- Framework Used: Alkire-Foster methodology for the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
Dimensions & Indicators:
- Health: Nutrition, child mortality, maternal health.
- Education: Years of schooling, attendance.
- Standard of Living: Sanitation, electricity, housing, drinking water, cooking fuel, and assets.
India’s MPI Report 2023:
- Multidimensional poverty fell from 29.2% (2013–14) to 11.3% (2022–23).
- About 24.8 crore Indians exited poverty in this period.
About Kerala:
- Formation: November 1, 1956 (State Reorganisation Act).
- Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
- Chief Minister (2025): Pinarayi Vijayan
- Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
- Major Rivers: Periyar, Bharathapuzha, Pamba
- Literacy Rate: 96.2% (highest in India)
- Official Language: Malayalam
- Notable Schemes: Kudumbashree (1998), LIFE Mission (2017), Nava Kerala Mission, Subhiksha Keralam
Cultural Note: Kerala’s Wealthiest Temple
Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
- Dedicated to Lord Vishnu (reclining on serpent Anantha).
- Known as the richest temple in India — treasure worth over ₹1 lakh crore (≈ USD 18 billion) found in underground vaults (2011).
- Managed by the Travancore royal family under Supreme Court supervision.
- Reflects Kerala’s deep cultural and religious heritage alongside its progressive development record.