<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is becoming an extreme poverty free state as over 60,000 families found to be living in extreme poverty conditions have been provided basic needs like food, shelter, medical care and regular income.</p><p>Considered to be first of its type initiative by any state in India, a formal declaration in this regard is likely to be made on November 1 - the state formation day.</p><p>The state local self government (LSG) department has been spearheading the Extreme Poverty Eradication project (EPEP), a flagship initiative of the second term of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front government. </p><p>As per the NITI Aayog's national multidimensional poverty index Kerala has the lowest level of multidimensional poverty, 0.55 percent against the national average of 14.96 percent in 2023. </p><p>It was in 2021 that the EPEP was initiated by the LSG department with the support of various government departments. Extensive field surveys were carried out and it was found that 64,006 families comprising 1,03,099 people were living in extreme poverty conditions as they lacked adequate income, food, health care and shelter.</p>.No food for 3 days, no medical treatment, people in Southern TN suffering: AIADMK gen sec.<p>Those families were not getting the benefits of any welfare schemes owing to lack of valid documents. Multiple government agencies including the local self government institutions and health department joined hands. Micro plans were prepared for each family to come out of poverty. The progress of the project was monitored through an online system and officials visited the families frequently to review the progress.</p><p>The Social Audit Society Kerala constituted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme has been evaluating the implementation of the project as an independent agency.</p><p>During the course of implementation of the project all members of 4435 families, mostly single member families, died and duplications were found. Hence the final number was 59,286 families. All those families are now having food, shelter, health care and income as well as valid identity cards for at least one member.</p><p>Local self government minister M B Rajesh said that it could be even the first such initiative anywhere in the world apart from China. "This is the real Kerala story," he told DH.</p><p>Around 5,000 families were provided either house or house and land and around 5,100 houses of families living in extreme poverty conditions were also renovated. Rented houses were provided to around 600 families for which permanent housing is only being provided. As many as 4,395 families struggling without income were provided sources of income by including in various government schemes.</p>
<p>Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala is becoming an extreme poverty free state as over 60,000 families found to be living in extreme poverty conditions have been provided basic needs like food, shelter, medical care and regular income.</p><p>Considered to be first of its type initiative by any state in India, a formal declaration in this regard is likely to be made on November 1 - the state formation day.</p><p>The state local self government (LSG) department has been spearheading the Extreme Poverty Eradication project (EPEP), a flagship initiative of the second term of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front government. </p><p>As per the NITI Aayog's national multidimensional poverty index Kerala has the lowest level of multidimensional poverty, 0.55 percent against the national average of 14.96 percent in 2023. </p><p>It was in 2021 that the EPEP was initiated by the LSG department with the support of various government departments. Extensive field surveys were carried out and it was found that 64,006 families comprising 1,03,099 people were living in extreme poverty conditions as they lacked adequate income, food, health care and shelter.</p>.No food for 3 days, no medical treatment, people in Southern TN suffering: AIADMK gen sec.<p>Those families were not getting the benefits of any welfare schemes owing to lack of valid documents. Multiple government agencies including the local self government institutions and health department joined hands. Micro plans were prepared for each family to come out of poverty. The progress of the project was monitored through an online system and officials visited the families frequently to review the progress.</p><p>The Social Audit Society Kerala constituted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme has been evaluating the implementation of the project as an independent agency.</p><p>During the course of implementation of the project all members of 4435 families, mostly single member families, died and duplications were found. Hence the final number was 59,286 families. All those families are now having food, shelter, health care and income as well as valid identity cards for at least one member.</p><p>Local self government minister M B Rajesh said that it could be even the first such initiative anywhere in the world apart from China. "This is the real Kerala story," he told DH.</p><p>Around 5,000 families were provided either house or house and land and around 5,100 houses of families living in extreme poverty conditions were also renovated. Rented houses were provided to around 600 families for which permanent housing is only being provided. As many as 4,395 families struggling without income were provided sources of income by including in various government schemes.</p>