KANNUR: Kerala will be officially declared free from extreme poverty on November 1, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday.

The announcement was made during a function at the Pinarayi Convention Centre, where the chief minister also named Dharmadam, the constituency he represents, as the first in the state to be entirely rid of extreme poverty.

The chief minister said the state had planned to achieve this milestone three years ago. “The Local Self-Government Department played a crucial role in the campaign, but the success was made possible through a coordinated effort involving multiple government departments.

The number of people living in extreme poverty in Kerala was less than 1%, and the government took the initiative seriously from the outset. A micro-level plan was developed for each of the 64,002 families identified as extremely poor, and the government’s approach was rooted in a strong sense of compassion and commitment to human dignity,” he said.

Registration Minister Kadannappally Ramachandran – who presided over the function – praised the comprehensive nature of the campaign, which began in August 2021. The government launched the drive to identify families who were unable to meet basic needs such as food, healthcare, secure housing, and a stable income.