As Kerala eradicates extreme poverty, what are the lessons for other states?

When Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared on November 1 that the state had eradicated extreme poverty, it was not merely an announcement – it was a milestone in India’s development story. In a country where discussions on poverty often circle around statistical debates, Kerala’s declaration invites a deeper reflection on what it means to ensure that no one is left behind.

Much of the national conversation in the days following the announcement has focused on whether such a claim can be empirically verified. Those are valid questions, but as with any large-scale social intervention, the answers cannot be found off the cuff. They require systematic academic inquiry using scientific methods, granular data, and careful evaluation.

That said, even as these studies unfold, Kerala’s effort deserves attention for its participatory design, long-term vision, and the sense of dignity it restores to those at society’s margins.

Participatory path

The State’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Project, launched in 2021, was not conceived as a top-down welfare scheme but as a participatory mission. The process of identifying extremely poor families began at the local level, involving panchayat representatives, workers for the Kudumbashree poverty eradication programme started in 1998, volunteers and officials.

Families were assessed across four key dimensions – food, health, housing, and income....

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