Kerala Lifts Over 50,000 Families Out of Extreme Poverty, Aims for Total Eradication by November 2025

Thiruvananthapuram: In a significant leap towards eliminating extreme poverty, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that 50,401 families—constituting 78.74% of those identified as living in extreme poverty—have been successfully uplifted as of April 15. The state has set an ambitious goal to completely eradicate extreme poverty by November 1, 2025.
The Chief Minister emphasized that efforts are now focused on the remaining families, many of whom require sustainable income sources and secure housing. Of the 5,350 families initially identified as having no income, 4,359 have already received support through Kudumbashree’s Ujjeevanam initiative, interventions by local self-governments, and coordination among various state departments. Measures to provide livelihood opportunities for 13 more families are currently ongoing.
Housing assistance has also made notable progress. Construction has been completed for 3,143 families who needed only a home, and for 699 families who lacked both land and housing. Additionally, 4,049 homes have been renovated, and 606 families have been relocated to rented accommodations based on their preferences.
Land identification and allocation efforts continue under the ‘Manassodithiri Mannu’ campaign and Revenue Department initiatives. So far, 8.89 acres of land have been identified through the campaign, with an additional 5.5 acres located by revenue officials. These efforts are aimed at supporting families with no land ownership.
Ensuring uninterrupted access to food and healthcare has also been central to the poverty eradication drive, with both state and local self-government institutions playing active roles.
A milestone in this mission is Dharmadom, the Chief Minister’s constituency, being declared Kerala’s first legislative constituency free of extreme poverty.
The campaign’s first phase, completed in November 2023, lifted 30,658 families (47.89%) out of extreme poverty by addressing basic needs such as nutrition, healthcare, and essential services. During this phase, 21,263 families also received critical documents and emergency assistance.
The ongoing second phase builds upon that foundation, shifting focus towards livelihood generation, housing stability, and long-term empowerment.