Kerala is number one, but CM’s claim is wrong, Oommen Chandy ruled then, report based on NITI Aayog Survey of 2015-16

NEW DELHI: The NITI Aayog had the other day released the National Multiple Poverty Index. Accordingly, Kerala is the state which has registered the lowest poverty in the country. Soon after this, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF came forward with their claims. The chief minister in a Facebook post said that despite the challenges posed by the epidemic and natural calamities, the uncompromising efforts of the government to ensure the welfare of the people laid the foundation for this achievement.

However, reports that came in indicated that their claims are wrong. NITI Aayog’s Multiple Poverty Index is based on the 2015-16 family health survey. This is mentioned in the third page of the report itself. The UDF government led by Oommen Chandy was in power in Kerala that time. The LDF government came to power in 2016.

The results of the National Family Health Survey Section (NFHS-5) of 2019-20 have also been released. NITI Aayog informed that they will revise the poverty index list on the basis of it. The poverty index was prepared based on nutrition, infant mortality, school education, postpartum care, attendance, availability of cooking oil, sanitation, availability of clean water, electricity, housing, savings and bank accounts.