Kerala govt’s ‘extreme poverty-free’ declaration questioned by economists, activists

As the LDF government is set to declare Kerala the first state in the country free from extreme poverty on November 1, a group of intellectuals, including distinguished economists, environmentalists, and social activists raised serious questions about the credibility of the data and methodology used for the claim.

In an open letter addressed to the state government, a group of intellectuals, including noted economists M A Oommen, K P Kannan, environmentalist, social activist R V G Menon, and others urged the government to release an authoritative study report that identifies the extremely poor and validates the poverty eradication process.

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“Extreme poverty is not something to be taken casually. Employing it for propaganda is unacceptable,” the signatories said in the letter on Thursday.

In the letter, they asked whether the government is declaring Kerala to be free from extreme poverty or destitute-free. They also asked what are the parameters used to identify the extreme poor in Kerala. Which expert committee had conducted the survey? “Aren’t workers in various schemes, including Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers, who get only Rs 233 a day, also extremely poor,” they asked

Why is the government claiming that there are only 64,006 extremely poor when the Economic Survey 2024 shows that 5.92 lakh families are included in Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), the poorest (yellow card holders) of the four categories in the Public Distribution System, they further asked.

“As per the Kerala Economic Review 2024, there are 5.92 lakh families under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) – the poorest category under the National Food Security Act, 2013. These families currently receive free rice and wheat from the state government, with the Centre providing the grains at subsidised rates. “If Kerala has only 64,006 extremely poor families, does that mean the AAY category will cease to exist? Will the Centre’s assistance under this scheme also end,” the signatories of the letter asked.

Pointing out the discrepancies in tribal data, they said as per the 2011 Census, there were 4.85 lakh tribal people in Kerala, many of them living in extreme poverty. However, in the new estimate, only 6,400 have been classified as extremely poor – just 5.5% of the total. “What magic has happened to alleviate their poverty,” they asked pointedly.

“Poverty is the biggest socio-economic problem facing our nation. Eradicating extreme poverty is not a matter to be treated lightly. Turning it into a propaganda exercise is unacceptable,” they said.

According to the Kerala Local Self Government Department (LSGD), the extremely poor are those with no income, those unable to eat two meals a day, those unable to cook even if they receive ration, and those in poor health, the letter said. “Are these not the category of the destitute (‘Agathikal’)? Is the government calling these extremely poor,” they asked.

The signatories include M A Oommen (economist), K P Kannan (economist), Mary George (economist), social activists R V G Menon ,M K Das (journalist),Dr. M.P. Mathai, Dr. C.P. Rajendran, Prof. K. Aravindakshan, Dr. Mary George, R. Radhakrishnan, Dr. Sunilmani, Dr. V. Ramankutty, Dr. John Kurian, Dr. M. Kabir, Dr. J. Devika, Dr. M. Vijayakumar, Dr. N.K. Sasidharan Pillai, Joseph C. Mathew, Dr. K.G. Tara, Dr. K.T. Rammohan, Dr. Sridhar Radhakrishnan, M. Geethanandan, Prof. P. Vijayakumar and Saritha Mohan Bhama

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly on Friday termed the LDF government’s claims of eradicating extreme poverty from the state as “fraudulent”.

Satheesan said, according to the central government, there are around 5.9 lakh “poorest of the poor” families in the state to whom it issues Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) cards and provides them with free rice grain and atta as ration. If the state makes a declaration that it is free of extreme poverty, would it not result in the Centre stop providing the benefits to the AAY card holders, he asked.

Congress leader Cherian Philip said that the government is destroying the livelihood of 5.29 lakh poor families in Kerala who are receiving free rations by declaring Kerala as an extreme poverty-free state. If the state makes a declaration that it is free of extreme poverty, .5.29 lakh families who are receiving free rations of rice and wheat under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme will lose them.