Kerala declares itself free of extreme poverty; experts question data, process

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has just announced that Kerala has eradicated extreme poverty, marking what the government calls a major milestone in its welfare journey. The declaration, however, has come amid criticism and debate.

“This historic initiative was launched by involving people from all sections of society and incorporating ideas that emerged from their participation and feedback. The identification of beneficiary families began through this inclusive process. The extreme poverty eradication process is a continuation of earlier efforts such as the universalisation of the Public Distribution System and initiatives to eliminate landlessness and homelessness. The achievement we are declaring today is the result of all these collective actions,” said the Chief Minister.

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“However, this is not the end, it marks a new beginning. We will ensure that extreme poverty never resurfaces. It gives me great joy and pride, in the presence of all the Honourable Members of this Assembly, to inform the people of Kerala that our journey towards building a New Kerala will continue with renewed energy and determination”, he added.

Questions raised over poverty metrics

While hailed as a major step in welfare governance, the initiative has prompted questions from a group of academics and activists, as well as Opposition Leader V D Satheesan, who have questioned the data and the basis of defining “extreme poverty.”

The opposition has echoed some of these concerns, accusing the government of manipulating data and seeking transparency in the methodology. The government, led by Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh and Industries and Law Minister P Rajeev, has responded that the process was scientific, inclusive, and subject to multiple levels of review.

The declaration, part of Kerala’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Mission, identified about 64006 individuals as belonging to families facing multidimensional poverty. The mission aims to make the state entirely free from extreme poverty by 2026 through targeted interventions in housing, health, education, nutrition, and livelihoods.

The survey was conducted through the network of local self-government institutions and Kudumbashree units, with data verified at multiple administrative levels.

Debate over data and definition

The open letter, signed by academics, researchers, and social-sector professionals, doubted the government’s intent and sought more details on the criteria and process used. The signatories asked whether the term “extreme poverty” aligned with national or international definitions, how the 64006 figure was calculated, and how the identified families would be prioritised in welfare delivery.

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They also called for public access to anonymised survey data, district-wise breakdowns, and clarity on how multidimensional indicators such as health status, disability, and education were measured.

“The letter pointed out that under the National Food Security Act, 2013, Kerala’s Public Distribution System (PDS) operates with four beneficiary categories. The poorest among them — holders of yellow Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards — include 5.92 lakh families, according to the Economic Review 2024. “The state has been providing these families with free rice and wheat since 2023, while the Centre supplies them at Rs 3 per kg for rice and Rs 2 per kg for wheat. Why, then, does the government now claim that Kerala has only 64,006 extremely poor families? Has the AAY category been reclassified or declared free from extreme poverty? If so, will this mean the AAY category, which receives central assistance, will cease to exist?” the letter asked. The letter, widely circulated among policy circles, triggered discussion across social-science departments and civic groups, prompting political leaders to respond.

Govt defends process as transparent, fair

According to the government, the opposition’s criticism seems totally misplaced because poverty and extreme poverty are two different things. As per the NITI Aayog’s multidimensional poverty framework, extreme poverty is assessed through a wider set of indicators such as housing, health, education, nutrition, and social inclusion. It has nothing to do with the conventional poverty line or existing income-based poverty eradication programmes. The government, led by Ministers M B Rajesh and P Rajeev, clarified that the process was scientific and transparent, aimed at identifying and supporting families facing multiple and overlapping deprivations.

“This is not about numbers; it’s about identifying deprivation in all its forms,” Rajesh said. “Families were surveyed using measurable indicators of health, housing, education, income, and access to services. Every stage, from data collection to verification was reviewed by expert committees.”

Rajesh said the declaration was meant to enable targeted action, not political advantage. “Extreme poverty in Kerala today may not always be visible in economic terms. It could be linked to chronic illness, disability, or social isolation. The objective is to ensure that no one is left behind,” he said.

Collective progress, not partisan achievement

Industries and Law Minister P Rajeev emphasised that the declaration represented collective progress, not partisan achievement.

“There is a section that tends to doubt every positive development,” Rajeev said. “But this mission is the result of teamwork involving officials, volunteers, and local bodies of all political affiliations. For instance, the Ernakulam District Panchayat, which is ruled by the UDF, also played a leading role in making the district free of extreme poverty.”

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He pointed out that the process had been continuously reviewed by the Chief Minister and discussed in the Legislative Assembly. “Leaders from across parties participated in these reviews. At this stage, when Kerala is achieving a major social milestone, we should recognise the effort rather than question its intent,” he said.

Households classified through digital and field data

Officials explained that the households were categorised through a combination of field verification and digital data analysis, with follow-up plans for each identified family.

“The identification of these marginalised people of Kerala was not through a formal survey. It was not through a questionnaire determining the income and assets of households. It was based on indicators that tried to capture the nature of lived experience of extreme poverty, through the lens of a community in close touch with people on the fringes of society. The indicators focused on health, hunger, means and access to income, and living conditions. They also prioritised certain vulnerabilities — tribal communities, particularly PVTG, SC, coastal and urban poor communities, people with HIV/AIDS, unskilled migrant families continuing to stay on in Kerala, orphaned children, LGBTQIA+ communities, etc,” wrote former Chief Secretary Sarada Muralidharan on Facebook.

Focus to translating data into delivery

The next phase will link these households to ongoing welfare schemes and create customised development plans through the panchayats. The state government has said the mission’s next stage will focus on household-level action plans and convergence of welfare schemes. Kudumbashree units and local bodies will work directly with identified families to ensure access to health care, education, livelihood support, and social security.

“The aim is to translate data into delivery,” Rajesh said. “Each family will have a specific roadmap for improvement, monitored locally. This is how we move from identification to transformation.”

Even though the criticism raised by the Opposition and the group of concerned citizens seemed substantial, most of it was readily answerable through the government’s clarification. However, despite those explanations, the debate touched a larger emotional and political chord, like the meaning of welfare, social security, and development in a state long seen as a social model.

As Kerala takes forward its Extreme Poverty Eradication Mission, the challenge will be to maintain that transparency while ensuring that the identified families see tangible change on the ground.