Mohanlal, Kamal Haasan unlikely to attend event declaring Kerala 'extreme-poverty free'; Mammootty arrives in capital city

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Superstars Mohanlal and Kamal Haasan are unlikely to join the scheduled government function in Thiruvananthapuram, where Kerala will be declared as an extreme-poverty-free state.

Mohanlal is currently in Dubai, while Kamal Haasan is busy with film-related events in Chennai. Megastar Mammootty will attend the function. He has reached Thiruvananthapuram by flight from Kochi in the morning.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will declare Kerala an extreme poverty-free state at a conference to be held at the Thiruvananthapuram Central Stadium at 5 pm. Minister M B Rajesh will preside.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, M.B. Rajesh said that a poverty-free Kerala was made a reality through a four-year-long process. The decision to eradicate extreme poverty was the first decision taken in the cabinet when the government came to power for the second time.

64,006 families were taken out of extreme poverty. The first phase was to identify those who did not receive any benefits from government schemes and welfare programs.

The groups of people who lacked necessities such as food, health, clothing, safe shelter, and income were considered.

The Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) trained about four lakh people, including people's representatives in local bodies, social organisation representatives, and Kudumbashree workers.

The process began in June and July 2021. The list was finalised by the local bodies with the approval of the Gram Sabha/Ward Sabha by March 2022. A pilot study was conducted in Anchuthengu panchayats in Thiruvananthapuram, Thirunelly in Wayanad, and Wadakkanchery municipality in Thrissur, and procedures were devised.