Thiruvananthapuram, October 19, 2025: Four years ago, 24-year-old Remya P faced a life that seemed almost irreversibly broken. A widow, a cancer patient, and a mother of two young children, she struggled daily to find stability. Jobless and without a safe place to call home, Remya’s life in Chavara village, Kollam district, was a relentless battle against illness, deprivation, and uncertainty.

Her fortunes began to shift when local panchayat authorities identified her as a beneficiary of Kerala’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Project (EPEP), a state-led initiative aimed at lifting individuals and families living in the most severe conditions out of poverty. Today, Remya is a cancer survivor, employed at a panchayat helpdesk, and her family resides securely in a house provided by the government’s LIFE housing programme. Her story is emblematic of the transformative power of targeted social interventions and the potential for systemic change in addressing extreme poverty.

The EPEP is a comprehensive, grassroots-level program designed to ensure that no person in the state remains “extremely poor” or is left behind in Kerala’s development trajectory. Spearheaded by the Local Self Government Department (LSGD), the initiative addresses multiple dimensions of poverty, including food, income, health, education, and shelter. The scheme’s multidimensional approach recognizes that poverty is not merely a lack of income but a complex web of vulnerabilities that require coordinated interventions.

Since its inception, EPEP has directly impacted over 64,006 families, encompassing 1,03,099 individuals across Kerala. The beneficiaries have received consistent support in the form of food distribution, healthcare access, livelihood opportunities, and safe housing. With these measures, Kerala is poised to be formally recognized as the first “extreme poverty-free state” in India on November 1, coinciding with the state formation day. According to LSGD Minister M. B. Rajesh, the state now ranks second in the world, after China, in successfully eradicating extreme poverty.

“The EPEP was the first decision taken by the first Cabinet of the current LDF government,” Rajesh told PTI. “It was envisaged as a five-year plan to eradicate extreme poverty. Today, we have achieved 100 per cent of our target.”

The program’s success lies in its meticulous approach to identifying beneficiaries and tailoring interventions to their unique needs. A state-wide survey determined the most vulnerable households, including nomadic communities and those previously unaware of government programs. Each family received a microplan addressing its specific challenges: for some, medical care was the priority; for others, access to food or housing was most urgent.

In Chavara, the impact of the program is tangible. Das Raj, a 67-year-old daily wage worker from Mamkukam village in Idukki, recently moved into a newly constructed house. “We had a tin-roofed, dilapidated hut. My wife and son suffer from psychological disorders, and we had no stable income. Now, we have a safe home with two bedrooms, a hall, kitchen, and bathroom,” he said, expressing relief and gratitude.

During the initial phase of the program, the primary focus was on survival essentials: food and health. Beneficiaries received uninterrupted cooked meals and food kits, access to medicines, doorstep treatment, palliative care, and even organ transplantation in extreme cases. These interventions ensured not only survival but dignity for the most marginalized members of society.

One of the significant challenges in implementing EPEP was securing land for the landless and homeless. Coordinated efforts across departments resulted in the construction of 7,083 safe shelters by September 2025. While the initiative has lifted tens of thousands out of extreme poverty, the government acknowledges that poverty is dynamic. “The eradication of over 60,000 families does not mean that more individuals won’t fall into this category in the future,” Rajesh noted. Plans are underway to ensure the continuity of the program and maintain support for newly vulnerable families.

The program has also addressed complex socio-economic vulnerabilities, reaching individuals who were previously invisible to state support systems. For instance, Shy Varghese, a visually impaired street singer in Kumaramangalam, has been allocated a new home but cannot move in immediately due to unsafe access and lack of electricity. Local authorities have assured his family that necessary measures will be taken to make the house habitable, exemplifying the ongoing commitment to resolving the practical challenges faced by beneficiaries.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who conceptualized the EPEP, closely coordinated the efforts of various departments and monitored progress at each stage. The program’s success is attributed largely to this integrated approach, where multiple government schemes were converged to address the needs of extremely poor families in a coordinated manner.

Statistics from the grassroots survey underpin the program’s targeted interventions: 35 per cent of identified households suffered from income deprivation, 24 per cent faced health-related issues, 21 per cent experienced food insecurity, and 15 per cent were deprived of adequate shelter. By addressing these multidimensional vulnerabilities, the EPEP has created a robust framework for sustainable poverty alleviation.

Remya P’s transformation from a struggling widow to an empowered member of society is only one among thousands of success stories emerging from the program. Her journey underscores the broader narrative that systemic, coordinated interventions at the local level can produce lasting social impact. For Kerala, achieving extreme poverty eradication marks a milestone not only in governance but also in social equity.

As the state prepares to celebrate its formation day, the announcement of Kerala as India’s first extreme poverty-free state serves as a model for other states, demonstrating the efficacy of integrated, people-centric governance. While challenges remain, such as maintaining infrastructure for new housing and sustaining economic opportunities for vulnerable populations, Kerala’s success highlights the potential of targeted, evidence-based policy initiatives to transform lives at scale.

In the words of Minister M. B. Rajesh, “The most marginalized and vulnerable have finally found security, dignity, and hope. From nomads to widows, from the landless to those battling illness, EPEP ensures that no one is left behind. This is the Kerala model at its best.”

The story of EPEP, from its conception to implementation, offers a blueprint for holistic poverty eradication. By addressing immediate survival needs while simultaneously building pathways to income, education, and secure housing, Kerala demonstrates that extreme poverty is not an inevitability but a challenge that can be overcome through persistent, coordinated governance. For families like Remya P’s and Das Raj’s, this initiative has not just provided material relief—it has restored hope, dignity, and a future.