Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared the State as free from extreme poverty at a special session of the Assembly on the occasion of ‘Kerala Piravi’ on Saturday (November 1, 2025), making it the first Indian State to make such a declaration. The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) walked out of the session questioning the propriety of convening a special session just for the Chief Minister to make a statement under Rule 300 of the house procedures. Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan also called it a “hollow proclamation”.
How Kerala eradicated extreme poverty
Mr. Vijayan, who called this year’s Kerala Piravi the birth of a new era for Kerala, spoke at length about the four-year long process that led to the declaration. Refuting the Opposition allegations that the declaration was a publicity stunt ahead of the local body elections, he said that the implementation of the Extreme Poverty Alleviation Project (EPEP) was a decision taken in the first Cabinet meeting of the current Left Democratic Front (LDF) in 2021.
“We only make promises we can fulfil and we have fulfilled what we promised,” he said.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar accuses Kerala govt. of propaganda over claims of eradicating extreme poverty
