Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], November 18 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) ended extreme poverty in the state and criticised the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) governments for Kerala's decline.

He urged people to support the LDF in the upcoming Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections to ensure continuity of development.

Speaking at the Corporation election convention, Pinarayi Vijayan said, 'Extreme poverty was eradicated because the people gave the LDF a consecutive mandate. Normally, governments change frequently. UDF had pushed Kerala into decline. The Oommen Chandy government lagged in every sector. The UDF governments that came later could not continue the development initiatives started by the LDF. Just as the people entrusted us with a second term in 2021, they should also ensure continuity of governance in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.'

Earlier on November 1, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that the state government allocated Rs 50 crore each for the financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25, and Rs 60 crore for 2025-26, for the project aimed at eradicating extreme poverty.

The funds were utilised for healthcare, housing construction, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods.

CM Vijayan highlighted the state's progress from being the one with the highest poverty rate in 1961-62, with 90.75 per cent of the rural population and 88.89 per cent of the urban population below the poverty line, to becoming the first Indian state to eradicate extreme poverty.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan made this historic declaration in the Legislative Assembly on the occasion of Kerala Piravi (Foundation Day), stating that the state has achieved a remarkable milestone in eradicating extreme poverty on Saturday. Addressing the Assembly, CM Vijayan made a statement under Rule 300.

'In the financial years 2023-24 and 2024-25, an amount of 50 crore each was specially allocated for this project, and in 2025-26, 60 crore was set aside. This amount was utilised for healthcare, housing construction, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. In the 1975 study report titled 'Poverty, Unemployment, and Development Policy in Kerala', conducted by the Centre for Development Studies (CDS) for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Table 1 on page 11 shows the percentage of population below the poverty line in 15 Indian states during 1961-62. Although these figures have been subject to criticism, one fact stands out: in Kerala, 90.75 per cent of the rural population and 88.89 per cent of the urban population were below the poverty line. In other words, at that time, Kerala had the highest proportion of people living below the poverty line among all Indian states. From that position, Kerala has now risen to proudly become the first Indian state to eradicate extreme poverty,' CM Vijayan said. (ANI)