Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched a strong defense of his government's flagship welfare programs on Thursday, accusing a section of the media of spreading misinformation to deliberately misrepresent the state's achievements. He specifically addressed the narrative around the Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP), asserting its success while announcing its next phase.
Defending the Poverty Eradication Milestone
Vijayan categorically stated that Kerala was officially declared free of extreme poverty on November 1, 2023. This declaration followed a rigorous three-year campaign that began in 2022. The initial drive involved local self-government institutions identifying a total of 64,006 families living in conditions of extreme poverty.
Through sustained and targeted interventions, the government successfully rehabilitated all these families, the Chief Minister explained. He clarified that the announcement of EPEP 2.0 on the same day was not an admission of failure but a proactive measure for sustainability.
"The second phase aims to identify any new families that may have slipped into extreme poverty after 2022 and ensure that those already rehabilitated do not relapse," Vijayan said. He expressed frustration that details of this continuation, publicly released at the November 1 event and reiterated in subsequent press conferences, were being twisted to create a false impression of the program's failure.
Critique of Central Planning and Upcoming Events
Shifting focus to broader economic policy, the Chief Minister launched a critique against the central government's approach to planning. He argued that India's development trajectory suffered after the Union government dismantled the Planning Commission in 2015 and replaced it with NITI Aayog.
Vijayan claimed this move ended the crucial distinction between Plan and Non-Plan expenditure and weakened scientific and technical planning. He alleged that budgetary decisions are now largely left to political considerations within the finance ministry, undermining structured development.
On the state's upcoming engagements, Vijayan made two key announcements:
- The fifth edition of the Loka Kerala Sabha will be held from January 29 to 31. This assembly of the global Malayali community will see expanded representation, now including diaspora from 125 countries, up from the previous 36.
- A protest will be organized on January 12 at the Martyrs' Column in Thiruvananthapuram. Ministers, MLAs, and MPs will participate to protest against what he described as the Union government's continued financial squeeze on the state by curtailing its borrowing limits since 2017.
Sustaining the Welfare Model
The Chief Minister's statements underscore the LDF government's commitment to positioning Kerala as a model of social welfare, even as it battles perceptions and central fiscal constraints. The launch of EPEP 2.0 is framed as an exercise in vigilance to consolidate the gains of the first phase, ensuring no citizen is left behind.
The planned protest highlights the ongoing political tussle over fiscal federalism, a recurring theme in Kerala's dealings with the Centre. The significantly expanded Loka Kerala Sabha points to the state's strategy of leveraging its global diaspora for cultural and potentially economic support.
