By Muhammed Riyas

On November 1, 2025 — Kerala Piravi Day — Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared that Kerala had eradicated extreme poverty , making it the first state in India to do so. The announcement, delivered in the state assembly with great fanfare, was projected as a historic milestone in the state’s welfare journey. It marked the culmination of the government’s flagship Extreme Poverty Eradication Project (EPEP), launched in 2021. Yet, behind the celebratory tone lies an uncomfortable question: Has Kerala really eliminated poverty, or merely redefined it?

The EPEP identified just over 64,000 families across the state as “extremely poor”. These were households that lacked secure income, housing, food, or access to healthcare. The state claims that targeted interventions —

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