Kerala’s focused welfare model lifts families from poverty.
Kerala will soon declare itself free of extreme poverty, after years of targeted efforts uplifting over one lakh people statewide.
The first thing that catches one’s attention when stepping into Ambika Devi’s modest home in Chellamangalam ward, tucked away in the narrow bylanes of Thiruvananthapuram, is the small grocery shop that occupies the front verandah and spills into part of the drawing room. The shelves are neatly lined with essentials—packets of rice, lentils, tea, and soap—each item representing not just a product for sale, but a symbol of resilience and self-reliance. For Ambika, a 57-year-old widow who has battled poverty and ill health for years, the shop is more than a business—it is her lifeline.
This transformation in her life came through the Kerala government’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP), an initiative that seeks to identify and uplift families living in the most deprived conditions. The support extended to her was holistic: financial assistance for housing, startup capital for her shop, and regular follow-ups by local officials and volunteers. “I had lost hope of earning again,” Ambika says softly, seated behind her counter. My shop might be small, but it has brought dignity back into my life.”
Ambika’s case reflects the core philosophy of the EPEP—individualised intervention. Instead of blanket schemes, the programme works through micro-plans designed specifically for each family’s circumstances. In Ambika’s case, officials recognised that her health would not allow strenuous labour, so they helped her set up a business she could manage from home. The approach ensures that assistance is not just financial but sustainable, enabling beneficiaries to regain independence and confidence.
Across Kerala, thousands of families like Ambika’s have experienced similar turnarounds. Enumerators under the EPEP fanned out across the state, identifying the poorest of the poor and crafting solutions tailored to each household’s needs. The initiative combines the reach of the government with the empathy of local self-governing bodies, ensuring that help truly reaches the doorstep.
Today, as Ambika arranges goods on her small shelves, the once-silent rooms of her house hum with life again. For her, Kerala’s poverty eradication drive is not just a policy—it is a second chance at living with pride and hope.