Kerala Allocates Another Rs. 60 Crore to Wipe Out Extreme Poverty by November 1

Thiruvananthapuram – The state government has allocated Rs. 60 crore to expedite projects aimed at eradicating extreme poverty in Kerala. Based on various criteria, 64,006 families have been identified as living in extreme poverty. A majority of them have already been provided with basic facilities and sources of income, thereby lifting them out of extreme poverty. The remaining families, particularly those without homes, are the focus of the newly allocated funds.

To ensure housing facilities, Rs. 52.8 crore has been earmarked for local self-governing bodies. An additional Rs. 1 crore has been allocated for utilising revenue land for the same purpose. The government has granted permission to local bodies to purchase houses and properties (less than 10 years old) for those in the extreme poverty list who do not own land or a house. In municipal areas, an amount of Rs. 6.70 lakh is allotted per unit, while in corporation areas, Rs. 9.25 lakh is provided. The property to be purchased must include a house with a minimum area of 400 square feet.

Rs. 10 lakh has been set aside to assist those suffering from cancer, heart disease, and kidney-related diseases. For extremely poor individuals and those with low income, Rs. 2 crore will be given to financially weaker local bodies to provide food and medicine. A sum of Rs 1.2 crore is also allocated as awards for districts that perform well in eradicating extreme poverty.

The state aims to officially declare itself free from extreme poverty on November 1. Comprehensive projects are progressing rapidly to ensure that all identified families are lifted out of extreme poverty by then.