Government aims to make Kerala poverty-free by 2025: CM

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that the Government has set November 1, 2025 as the deadline for ensuring the State with no family living in extreme poverty.

Opening state-wide Onam Week celebrations organised by the Kerala Tourism Department, Vijayan said the state had around 64,000 people living in extreme poverty, adding one section of them is expected to be emerge from the BPL category by November 1 this year.

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“A majority of them will be free from extreme poverty by November 1, 2024. Our aim is to make the State entirely poverty-free by November 1, 2025,” he said, seeking the support and coordination of public sector offices, public sector undertakings and local self-government institutions.

November 1 is the formation day of the state.

The Chief Minister said the government’s ‘Nava Keralam’ initiative is aimed at creating a new prosperous Kerala, going far beyond the conventional concept of Onam. Enumerating the State’s various welfare projects in various sectors, he said Life Mission project enabled the completion of around four lakh houses so far.

The week-long Onam Week celebrations will set the stage for presenting before a wider audience a variety of classical, folk, ethnic and popular art forms in multiple venues in the state capital and districts across the state in the next seven days.

Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said “Onam celebration is a symbol of unity among people and we must strive for making it more popularising this year. 

Also Read | Kerala finds it tough to raise funds to meet Onam festival expenses  

Minister for General Education and Labour V Sivankutty lauded the meticulous efforts of Department of Tourism in organising the annual festival on a large scale.

Noted danseuse Mallika Sarabhai and actor Fahadh Faasil were the chief guests.

The festival has, over the years, become one of the most popular cultural events that enthral both tourists visiting the Kerala during the season and the local communities as well.