November 1st, 2025, marks a potentially historic day for Kerala. The State government has declared Kerala as the first state in India to be free from extreme poverty. This announcement is based on the success of its Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme, or EPEP, as announced by the Government. But what exactly does this declaration mean, and is the reality as clear-cut as the statistics suggest?

The claim is monumental, especially considering a NITI Aayog study in 2021 already assessed Kerala’s poverty rate as an impressive 0.7%, the lowest in the country. The government’s figures are ambitious: they claim to have uplifted 59,277 families from this dire condition.

To understand this, we must first define the target. Extreme poverty in the EPEP is defined based on four key parameters, aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals: food, health, income, and housing. It identifies those who cannot fulfill basic needs and cannot move forward without strong, external assistance. This group, often ‘invisible’, was the focus. The government claims its initial comprehensive survey, involving four lakh enumerators, identified 64,006 extremely poor families, comprising 1,03,099 individuals. The overall poverty rate in the state has drastically fallen from 59.8% in the early 70s.

The strategy was not a ‘one-size-fits-all’. The project championed micro-plans, tailored for the unique needs of each identified family. For some, it meant essential documents, like the 21,263 individuals who were provided with basic ID, ration, or Aadhaar cards. For others, it was shelter: 3,913 families received new houses, and house repairs were carried out for 5,651 families. Food security was ensured for 20,648 families—with 2,210 receiving cooked food via Kudumbashree hotels. Health services reached 85,721 individuals, and critically, palliative care was given to 5,777 patients. This decentralised approach, with local bodies leading the charge, is what the government credits for its success.

While the government is celebrating, critical voices are ringing loud, especially from Kerala’s tribal communities. The Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha and activists like Manikkuttan Paniyan are questioning the fundamental methodology. They allege that the initial survey failed to give special consideration to the tribal population, claiming that only 5% of the 64,006 identified families belonged to Scheduled Tribes. Activists point to Wayanad, which was recently declared ‘extreme poverty-free’, saying that for many Paniya, Adiya, and Kattunaikkar communities, hunger, landlessness, and unemployment remain a daily reality. The question is sharp: how can the state be declared free when thousands of tribal families reportedly still struggle to afford even one proper meal a day?

The government’s figures have also been publicly challenged by the political opposition. The controversy revolves around ration card statistics. In a response to a question in the Assembly in September this year, the government stated that there are currently 591,194 AAY (Antyodaya Anna Yojana) ration cards in the state, which are for the poorest of the poor. This figure dramatically contrasts with the government’s list of only 64,006 extremely poor families targeted by the EPEP. The opposition used this response to accuse the government of using false statistics and exaggerating its achievements.

Furthermore, a section of ASHA workers, key to the grassroots project, also criticised the poverty definition, saying the government’s criteria were flawed while protesting for a higher honorarium.

The very frontline workers responsible for the data — the ASHA workers — raised concerns. The Kerala ASHA Health Workers’ Association criticised the government’s claims as false, even as they protested for an increased honorarium, which many found insufficient for their daily lives. The government did announce an increase in their monthly honorarium by Rs 1,000 just ahead of the declaration.

This highlights a key problem: the criteria for defining poverty are themselves a point of contention. The government has acknowledged the challenge, already launching a second phase of the project, focused on sustaining the achievement and ensuring the rehabilitated families do not slide back into extreme poverty.

Kerala’s declaration is undoubtedly a significant milestone, reducing poverty from nearly 60% to under 1% over decades. The success stories of individual families are powerful testaments to the EPEP’s micro-plan approach. However, the counter-narratives from tribal communities and the questions raised by the political opposition about the AAY card figures suggest that the state’s journey towards true, holistic poverty eradication is far from over.