DHARMADAM : Model for Human-Centric Development

P. Sudhakaran

Dharmadam has become Kerala’s first extreme poverty-free Assembly constituency showcasing how grassroots action, local governance, and community participation can transform lives and restore dignity to the most marginalised families

Mahatma Gandhi often reminded us that India’s freedom would remain unfinished until it reached the antyodaya – the last person at the margins. For him, poverty was not only the absence of money but the denial of dignity, social security, and opportunity. This vision, which also echoes Kerala’s Left-oriented emphasis on equality, comes alive in the state’s mission to eradicate extreme poverty. By ensuring that no family remains unseen or excluded, Kerala is carrying forward a Gandhian dream with a contemporary approach, underscoring the importance of sustainable development.

It was in this spirit that Dharmadam, the home constituency of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, was declared Kerala’s first extreme poverty-free constituency on April 13, 2025. T he announcement was more than ceremonial. It resulted from a sustained, grassroots effort that brought together state vision, local self governments, Kudumbashree collectives, and community volunteers to address deprivation in its most stubborn forms. It also became a curtain raiser for Kerala’s ambitious goal: to declare the entire state free of extreme poverty by November 1, 2025 – Kerala Piravi Day.

Extreme poverty is not just about inadequate income. It is a condition of multiple deprivations, where families simultaneously struggle for food, healthcare, housing, and income. Kerala’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Project (EPEP), launched in August 2021, recognised this reality and adopted four key indicators – food security, health, income, and housing. Families lacking in one or more of these dimensions were classified as extremely poor. The World Bank now defines extreme poverty as living on less than $3.00 per day in 2021 Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) terms, a global benchmark updated in June 2025. The UN has placed poverty eradication at the heart of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Kerala, by localising this framework into measurable household indicators, has shown how global goals can be translated into grassroots action.

In Dharmadam constituency, a baseline survey identified 196 families living in extreme poverty. Micro-plans were drawn up for each household by local governments in collaboration with Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups. Every family’s needs were assessed, and interventions tailored – some required immediate relief, others long-term rehabilitation. The results were transformative. Nineteen families were linked to nutrition programmes, ensuring regular food supply. One hundred and thirty-nine families gained medical support, from routine check-ups to palliative care, with health insurance coverage.

Twenty families were provided livelihood opportunities through Kudumbashree’s Ujjeevanam campaign, skill training, or small enterprise support. Eighty-three families were given secure housing – some received new houses, others land-and-house packages under the LIFE Mission, and many received aid for home renovation. Toilets and drinking water connections were provided where needed. Families also received essential documents – ration cards, Aadhaar, voter IDs, disability cards, and bank accounts. Social security pensions were extended to eligible households, giving them stability and dignity.

Extreme poverty is not just about inadequate income but a condition of multiple deprivations, where families simultaneously struggle for food, healthcare, housing, and income. Kerala’s Extreme Poverty Eradication Project (EPEP), launched in August 2021, recognised this reality

A remarkable aspect of Dharmadam’s achievement was how it reached the invisible poor– families who had slipped through the cracks of official records due to lack of documents, land titles, or secure housing. Door-to-door surveys by local volunteers and Kudumbashree groups identified such households, addressing their challenges – untreated illness, irregular income, unsafe dwellings, or social isolation. The effort restored dignity and belonging to people who had long remained unseen.

The success of Dharmadam demonstrates the strength of Kerala’s decentralised development model. Local self-governments led planning and monitoring, while Kudumbashree neighbourhood groups identified needs and mobilised support. Community volunteers bridged households and government departments, ensuring no family was excluded due to lack of awareness or bureaucratic hurdles.

“This was truly a grassroots initiative shaped under the Chief Minister’s guidance, with him leading from the front,” said K. U. Balakrishnan, a resident of Dharmadam and former Deputy Director of the Public Relations Department of Kerala. “From the time he assumed office, his vision was that the extremely poor should have food and shelter, and that the economic divide in society must be eliminated. With the support of charitable and voluntary organisations across political lines, and with cooperative canteens and initiatives like Dinesh Adukkala playing a key role, this vision was realised. Exhaustive surveys were conducted at every stage to identify the poorest of the poor and provide them with sustainable solutions.” Housing emerged as the most difficult issue. T hough few in numbers, many families were either landless or living in unsafe, dilapidated structures. Dharmadam addressed this systematically – some households received new houses, others land-and-house packages, and still others received renovation aid. Toilets and water connections were added where needed. By ensuring a secure roof for every family, the project solved more than a material problem; it gave people a sense of safety, stability, and future confidence.

“This is the fruit of the collective effort of society, and it stands as a model for the entire nation in alleviating poverty, addressing homelessness, and meeting healthcare challenges,” said Kakkoth Rajan, former president of Pinarayi Panchayat. “Every panchayat in Dharmadam played its role and ensured the project was effectively implemented, making the constituency free from extreme poverty, homelessness, and even beggary.” Beyond development, this has cultivated empathy and collective responsibility.

This achievement builds on Kerala’s long legacy of social development – universal literacy, strong healthcare, social security, and women’s empowerment. Dharmadam’s milestone pushes the model further, from providing welfare to guaranteeing dignity and empowerment.

Being the Chief Minister’s constituency naturally gave Dharmadam political visibility and administrative focus. Yet its significance lies beyond symbolism. Dharmadam proves that poverty can be tackled at the constituency level with clear benchmarks, local bodies can deliver targeted, sustainable interventions, and community-based planning is more effective than one-size-fits-all welfare. In this sense, Dharmadam is a living model that can be replicated across Kerala and beyond. Kerala’s journey is not over. Ensuring sustainable livelihoods, addressing indebtedness, supporting landless families, and providing long-term healthcare remain challenges. But Dharmadam has shown that with political will, grassroots empowerment, and systematic planning, even the toughest social issues can be overcome. As Kerala moves closer to becoming India’s first extreme poverty free state, Dharmadam will be remembered as the constituency that showed the way – an inspiring example of inclusive development in action, and a step closer to Gandhi’s vision of a society where the dignity of the last person is preserved.

The author is a bilingual writer, poet, art critic and translator with more than fifteen books in English and Malayalam. He has worked with leading media houses in India including The Times of India and The New Indian Express.