KOTTAYAM: Local Self-Government Minister MB Rajesh said that Kottayam district is leading the way in achieving the state government's goal of making Kerala a state free of extreme poverty. He was speaking at a function held at the conference hall of the District Planning Committee building, where he declared Kottayam the first district in the state to be free of extreme poverty.

"The first decision taken when this government came to power in 2021 was to make the state free from extreme poverty by November 1, 2025. For this, activities were carried out in coordination with all departments. In a survey conducted using Kudumbashree, 64,006 families were found to be living in extreme poverty. Their problems were found out. A micro plan was prepared and worked on for each family. Kottayam was ahead in all these matters. Of the families identified in the survey, 93 percent were freed from extreme poverty."

"People in other states are amazed at the progress made by Kerala in eradicating extreme poverty. In the world, such an effort has only been made in China before. We are approaching the goal by providing houses to the homeless through the LIFE project, and by providing land to those without land through the Manasode Ithiri Mannu Campaign and with the cooperation of private individuals. This was possible through the right decision taken by the government at the right time. When Kerala writes a new history on November 1, Kottayam has become the district that wrote the introduction to it," the minister said.

Minister for Co-operation, Ports and Devaswom, VN Vasavan, who presided over the function and delivered a speech, said that only when those living in extreme poverty are freed from it can they be said to have gained true freedom. On behalf of the state government, the minister congratulated the public representatives and officials who worked hard to make the goal of a Kottayam free of extreme poverty a reality.