Does Kerala show the way to eradicating extreme poverty?

On 1 November, the Kerala government declared that the state is now free from extreme poverty — the first state in India to make such a claim.

- Kishore Kumar Biswas

Achieving this required a multiyear, specially designed policy involving thousands of government staff, local body representatives, Kudumbashree workers and volunteers. An estimated ₹1,000 crore has been spent to reach this milestone. The methodology behind this achievement is particularly interesting and is described below.

Kerala's Development Status

People across India often associate Kerala with its strong education system. This is not simply a product of modern planning. Kerala's high literacy levels were built over centuries under the princely states, long before Independence. The rulers recognised the importance of educating ordinary people and invested heavily in primary and secondary education. As a result, Kerala entered the post-Independence era with the highest literacy in India, and today the state has achieved 100% primary education.

Kerala's progress extends beyond education. The state is known for its high quality of life, robust health system, the highest literacy rate at 94%, high life expectancy, and the lowest infant mortality rate in India. Economically, Kerala is not among the highest per-capita income states, but in 2023 NITI Aayog reported that Kerala has the lowest Multidimensional Poverty Index among all Indian states. In terms of gender equality, too, Kerala performs well, with a favourable sex ratio and female workforce participation above the national average.