Kottayam Declared First Extreme Poverty-Free District in Kerala

Extreme poverty was determined based on hardship factors including food security, health

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Kottayam

ADDING another feather in its cap, Kottayam has been declared the first district in the state to eradicate extreme poverty. Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh declared Kottayam free of extreme poverty at a function held here on Saturday.

On the occasion, Rajesh said Kottayam district is leading the way in achieving the state government's goal of making Kerala a state free of extreme poverty.

"The first decision taken when this government came to power in 2021 was to make the state free from extreme poverty by November 1, 2025. A survey conducted using Kudumbashree, found 64,006 families living in extreme poverty. Notably, 93% of these families have since been from extreme poverty category. People in other states are surprised by the progress made by Kerala in eradicating extreme poverty," he said.