The Real Kottayam Story of Extreme Poverty Eradication

P.S. Shino

Kottayam is the first extreme poverty free district in Kerala, which is officially announced. The systematic four-year journey of the district also reflects the grassroots processes and protocol followed by 14 districts of Kerala making the State extreme poverty free.

The land of letters, legends, latex and lakes; the natives of Kottayam, a district in Kerala often boast of made history on June 28, 2025. On this day, Minister for Local Self Government M.B. Rajesh announced the district as the first extreme poverty free district in the state and in the country in the presence of Minister for Co- Operation and Devaswam V.N. Vasavan who is in charge of the district and other officials. Looking back 36 years, on 25th June 1989 Kottayam had hit National headline as the first fully literate town in India.

The first step towards extreme poverty eradication; that is; Extreme Poverty Identification Process (EPIP) has been a particularly challenging one for Kottayam, as the popular assumption about the district being a largely prosperous and fully literate district. There was scepticism regarding the necessity of an exercise like Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme (EPEP). Moreover, India’s first National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Report published by NITI Aayog in November 2021 lauded Kottayam as the only zero poverty district in India. But rather than resting on the laurels, the Core Committee which included the District Collector, District Panchayat President and the District nodal officer took it as a challenge to identify and eradicate extreme poverty when the EPIP was launched in September 2021. The task became particularly challenging as it was not a traditional survey conducted by officials; the entire process was carried out through social participation involving approximately two lakhs people. The entire social mobilisation has to be done within the stifling walls of covid protocol. The situation was further complicated by a series of natural calamities including landslides and flood which destroyed the eastern part of the district particularly Kootickal.

One of the main hindrances in identifying extreme poverty has been to distinguish it from routine poverty. Different parameters such as health, access to food, income and housing etc are set as indicators to specially identify the extreme poor. To complete the identification process in a time bound and precise manner, approximately 25000 people were trained in various stages in the district. The enumeration teams of two volunteers and one government official were formed to collect information on extremely poor families identified through community participation. The data was collected using a specifically designed mobile application. The first stage of data collection was focus group discussions involving various voluntary agencies, social activists, people’s representatives aimed to prepare a primary list of extreme poor in their area. The focus group discussions alone had a participation of more than 50000 socially committed individuals. In the next stage, all the data of the families identified through the Focus Group discussions were recorded in the mobile application. The third stage was enumeration process; as a part of the process the enumeration teams have visited the beneficiaries and collected information. Their tireless work during the time of covid restrictions involved an innovative approach as the identification process targeted those who were excluded for various reasons from previous poverty eradication schemes. To ensure the integrity, accuracy and transparency of enumeration process 20% of the total beneficiaries who have been enumerated were subjected to a rigorous super-check by officials not involved in the earlier stages.

One of the main hindrances in identifying extreme poverty has been to distinguish it from routine poverty. Different parameters such as health, access to food, income and housing etc are set as indicators to specially identify the extreme poor.

After the super check, the final list of the poorest of the poor was approved by the panchayt/municipality committee/council and was published in the public domain including in social media in order to avoid omission of eligible beneficiaries and to exclude the ineligible. After 7 days, complaints were resolved and the final list included 1071 extreme poor families was published. To ensure that each eligible beneficiary was identified and accounted for, the core committee at the district level has devised an innovative Rathrinadtham- night walk, where under the leadership of the District Collector, District Panchayat President and the District Nodal Officer, teams would search through the areas where nomadic people usually take rest in order to ensure that all these hapless individuals are identified and no one is left out or over looked in this last mile activity. “Extreme poverty identification process was the most satisfying project during my tenure as Kottayam District Collector. During our field visit we were moved by compassion towards the hapless state of extreme poor, this inspired me to lead the process in a meticulous and accurate manner in the district,” commented Dr. P.K. Jayasree IAS, the District Collector of Kottayam then.

The survey result was an eye opener for all as it sensitised all stakeholders that there are families still living within the clutches of extreme poverty suffering from extreme unfreedoms. Understanding the unique problems faced by each family, customised micro plans have been formulated to empower them to overcome the manacles of extreme poverty. These plans have been devised by local body level committees through consultation with the families themselves. The micro plans included:

1) Immediate Service Plans: To ensure urgent and easily accessible services like health insurance, social security pension and provision for food to provide immediate relief to families in need. 2) Short Term Plans: Developments of educational facilities, lasting health care services and development of infrastructure. 3) Long Terms Plans: Housing, electricity, sanitation facility etc. which needed long term intervention. Excluding the 74 hapless poor beneficiaries died during the process Kottayam prepared 976 micro plans for the entire families and became the first district in the state to finalise micro plans in August 2023. Kottayam showed the way in the Avakasham Athivegam campaign, launched by the state, which was a collective endeavour to provide fundamental civic documents and access to basic services like election identity cards, ration cards, bank accounts and social security pension which hitherto eluded the hapless. The District Level Implementation Committee has organised series of camps at block level called Kaithang involving all departments from Revenue to Health where the immediate services including medical services were given to the extreme poor as a part of the drive. Mundakayam Grama Panchayat set a shining example of providing ration card to Kunjumon, Peedikaparambil within an hour in collaboration with the Taluk Supply Office. The District Core Committee took another initiative with the support of SBI’s CSR funding providing Onam kit to 232 extreme poor families who lacked ration cards while the process was on. It provided the extreme poor with a sense of identity, belongingness and sense of opportunity. Subsequently, the plans were meticulously implemented by the local bodies. Many of the extreme poor families were landless and homeless which were addressed through the LIFE scheme and Manasodithiri Mannu campaign. Indicators such as health, food and income generation were addressed through the combined efforts of local bodies, Govt. Departments and voluntary agencies and individuals.

Vathilpadisevanam acted as the lifeline for those in dire need; it ensured the door step delivery of medicines to all extreme poor families without the challenge of hospital visit. Jankeeya hotels run by Kudumbashree have devised innovative ways to ensure food security of the extreme poor. The District Level Implementation Committee with the help of local bodies and Department of Education has supplied school materials to the children from extreme poor families. Palliative treatment and assistance to the bedridden and elderly were also ensured.

From the formulation stage of micro plan it took almost two years of collaborative effort of various stakeholders in achieving extreme poverty eradiation. The synergy between the district team and the local bodies has played a critical role in achieving the goal. As Nirmmala Jimmy, the then District Panchayat President looks into: “Based on my long experience as a people’s representative it can be safely said that in the case of Kottayam District the extreme poverty identification and eradication process was the largest social movement since, the peoples plan campaign”.

The leadership of the District Collectors Dr. P K Jayasree IAS, Vigneswary IAS and John Samuel IAS and the District Panchayat Presidents Nirmala Jimmy, K.V. Bindhu and Hemalatha Premsagar have played a seminal role in the timely achievement of all milestones. KILA played a critical role in providing result oriented training to around 50000 stakeholders. The process involved committed effort of local body secretaries, Village Extension Officers led by Grama Panchayat Presidents and Municipal Chairpersons. All the above, Minister for Co-Operation and Devaswam V.N. Vasavan who is in charge of Kottayam District has extended the inspiration, guidance, and support to the cause.

Kottayam’s historical stride reflects the wisdom of Helen Keller “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” This remarkable efforts were recognised by the international think tank Skoch group by honouring with the Skoch award for excellence in administration. This milestone of becoming the first extreme poverty free district in India is not a conclusion but a stepping stone that inspires our vision towards the creation of a more inclusive and just social order.