Extreme Poverty Free Kerala – Spearheading the Mission

 Thiruvananthapuram: M B Rajesh, 54, has traversed an impressive journey from being the state president of SFI to Speaker of Kerala Assembly and now Local Self Government and Excise Minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet. Notably, he’s spearheading the LDF Government's ambitious "Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme", aiming to eradicate extreme poverty in Kerala by November 1, 2025.

Q: Will you be able to meet the deadline? How is the progress?

A: Regarding the deadline, I'd like to assure you that we're on track. We've achieved 93 per cent of our target, with Kottayam and Kannur districts already declared poverty-free. Work is progressing swiftly in other districts. To ensure we meet our goals, the Chief Minister regularly reviews progress, and I hold monthly review meetings to monitor and accelerate our efforts.

Q: What are the existing challenges?

A: A significant challenge lies in ensuring the landless, homeless, and those who are both landless and homeless are covered under the programme. To address this, the Government has initiated a comprehensive approach. Collectors are empowered to identify and allocate up to five cents of land for housing construction for eligible families under the extremely poor category. Efforts are underway to assist all homeless individuals in starting house construction within the next three months, with the focus on initiating construction even if completion takes longer.

Q: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Kerala recently, promised to bring development, never seen before in the state. Your reaction?

A: What does he mean by development? If it refers to improving living standards, Kerala is already ahead of many BJP-ruled states. In education, health and housing, Kerala excels, showcasing its strong social welfare and human development foundation.

Kerala's model focuses on human and social development, setting it apart from other states. Rather than needing external promises , Kerala aims to build on its existing strengths to further advance its development trajectory.

Q: What is the way forward?

A: Kerala's way forward lies in harnessing its human resources and education strengths to drive economic growth and sustainable development. We're transforming our economy into a knowledge-driven hub, leveraging initiatives like the country's first Digital University and Digital Science Park. Our goal is to create a knowledge society, upskilling our workforce to generate employment opportunities.

Q: How will you sustain EPEP ?

A: To ensure the long-term impact of our efforts to eradicate extreme poverty, we recognise the need for sustained monitoring and support. Even after achieving significant progress, there's a risk of people slipping back into poverty. To mitigate this, we'll continuously monitor progress, track the effectiveness of our initiatives and identify areas for improvement. Besides, we will launch targeted support schemes, provide ongoing support to vulnerable populations, such as livelihood initiatives.

Our flagship poverty eradication mission, Kudumbasree, launched in 1996, has been instrumental in reducing poverty in the state. Building on this success, Kudumbashree's special livelihood programme, Ujeevanam has brought succour to many EPEP beneficiaries. By scaling up such initiatives, we can ensure that our progress is lasting and meaningful.

Q : What are the possibilities of getting support from the private parties ?

A: We're looking into potential partnerships with private entities to supplement our efforts. For example, the Chittilapally Foundation has already generously donated land to 672 beneficiaries. We're also organising a land donation drive to support those without land.