Abstract

On Kerala’s 69th Formation Day, November 1, 2025, the state achieved a historic milestone — the eradication of extreme poverty. This success was not a coincidence, but the outcome of a four-year-long, people-centric initiative called the Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP) According to the NITI Aayog progress review report (2023) on multidimensional poverty, based on NFHS- 5 survey data, only 0.55 percent of Kerala’s population is multi-dimensionally poor–the lowest in the country compared to the national average of 14.96%. This gave Kerala an exclusive opportunity to focus on the “last mile” of poverty alleviation. Many government programs were presented as a model of inclusive growth in Kerala. However, it was noticed that some families were still left behind. In response, the Ashraya program was launched in 2002 to identify and rehabilitate destitute families, the Gram Panchayats were entrusted to identify families and prepare micro plans. After identification and micro plan preparation, the Kudumbashree mission was designated as the agency for implementing the scheme. Extreme Poverty Alleviation Programme (EPAP), launched in 2021, has been instrumental in identifying and supporting extremely poor families, with over Rs 1,000 crore spent on the initiative.

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