The State Government’s efforts to eradicate extreme poverty by November 1, 2025, are progressing at a fast pace, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Wednesday.
93% of the targeted families can be removed from the list of the ‘extremely poor’ once the targets for 2023 and 2024 are met, the Chief Minister said briefing the media on the outcome of the regional review of government projects and schemes held here on Tuesday.
As per the government list, Thiruvananthapuram has 7,278, Kollam 4,461, and Pathanamthitta 2,579 families, listed as extremely poor. Tuesday’s review covered projects and schemes being implemented in these three southern districts.
The government has also taken steps to speed up infrastructure development in schools under the Vidyakiranam project and land acquisition for the LIFE Mission project.
The remaining zonal review meetings are planned on September 29 and October 3 and 5 at Thrissur, Ernakulam and Kozhikode. Eradication of extreme poverty, projects under the LIFE, Aardram, Vidyakiranam, and Haritha Keralam missions, national highway, hill and coastal highways and inland waterways are taken up at the meetings.
In all, 703 issues are being taken up at the state level.
‘Nava Kerala Sadas’
‘Nava Kerala Sadas,’ the public outreach programme where the Chief Minister and Ministers would tour Assembly constituencies, will begin at Manjeswaram on November 18.
Freedom fighters, artists, leaders of community organisations, and other prominent personalities will be special invitees at these events.
The public outreach event, aimed at publicising the government’s achievements under the Nava Keralam initiative, will go on till December 24.
Support to Manipur students
In all, 46 students from strife-torn Manpiur have been admitted to Kannur University and its affiliated colleges, the Chief Minister said. They will continue their education on the Palayad, Mangattupparamba, Payyannur and Manjeswaram campuses of Kannur University, Government Brennen College, Thalassery, five other colleges and the Institute of Public Policy and Leadership under Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Taliparamba. Kerala has extended a helping hand to the Manipuri students who have lost even their certificates during the violence, he said.
