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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday officially declared that the state has eliminated extreme poverty, a feat the ruling Left Democratic Front government claims makes it the first state in India to achieve the distinction.The Chief Minister made the announcement during a special session of the State Assembly on November 1, which was convened to mark the anniversary of Keralas Formation Day, known as Kerala Piravi. The declaration follows the successful completion of a targeted four-year project.Project Targeted 64,006 familiesThis is a result of the Extreme Poverty Alleviation Project initiated by the state government in 2021, whose goal was to eradicate extreme poverty by tackling the needs of targeted households.Identification: In the first stage, ground-level surveys were conducted which identified 64,006 families (comprising 1,03,099 individuals) as extremely poor.Parameters: Based on severe deprivations across key indicators that included access to food, health, housing, and livelihood.Micro-Plans: Minister for Local Self-Governments, M.B. Rajesh, said the project had prepared micro-plans specifically for this demographic group, regardless of whatever welfare schemes were in place.Context: The initiative was targeted at what it called a microscopic minority of the population after a NITI Aayog study had already placed Kerala at 0.7%, the lowest poverty rate in India.Opposition Cries Pure Fraud And Boycotts SessionThe announcement was immediately met with fierce protest from the Congress-led United Democratic Front that boycotted the assembly session.Walkout: The opposition, led by V. D. Satheesan, the Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, termed the Chief Ministers claim as pure fraud and an act in contempt of House rules, before staging a walkout.CMs Response: The CM, Vijayan, while responding to the protest, dismissed the oppositions allegations and said, We only say what we can implement. We have implemented what we had said. That is our reply to the opposition leader. He suggested that the term fraud reflected the UDFs own behaviour.ALSO READ | Weather Alert: Cyclone Montha Devastates South India; North India Hit By Pink Chill, Sikkim Snowfall Red Alert
