Kerala will become state without extremely poor families by Nov 2025: Minister MB Rajesh

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will become state without extremely poor families by November 2025, said state minister for Local Self Government MB Rajesh on Friday.
"State has conducted a survey on the extremely poor families in the state. The survey revealed that currently there are sixty-four thousand and six extremely poor families in Kerala. The data of NITI Aayog was also the same which shows the state survey was scientific. The survey also finds out the reasons for the extremely poor condition of these families. We aim to convert Kerala into a state without extremely poor families and we will become a state without extremely poor families by November 1, 2025", Minister Rajesh said. The first phase of micro plans to overcome the extremely poor conditions have been completed, the minister said.
"Local body institutions have prepared special micro plans for each family to overcome extremely poor conditions. Sixty-four thousand and six micro plans have been prepared. Now the first phase of these micro plans has been completed. Now it is being implemented. The first phase deals with providing service rights certificates to them and starting measures to solve the reason for their extremely poor condition. This has been completed. November 1, 2025, will be the deadline to resolve it completely."
Minister Rajesh further said that a recent NITI Aayog report has again selected Kerala as the state with the least poverty rate.
"The recent report of NITI Aayog gives confidence for Kerala to achieve this. As per a recent report of NITI Aayog, Kerala is again selected as the state with least poverty rate. In 2016, 0.71 was the poverty percentage of the population in Kerala which has declined to 0.55 per cent. This is the findings of NITI Aayog. So the report of Niti Ayog proves that the intervention of the Kerala government gives results and the state could solve this problem by November 1, 2025", he said.
Minister Rajesh further said that attempts to make Kerala wasteless are also underway and the project to achieve the same will be completed by March 2024.
"Another project of Kerala government is waste less Kerala. The attempts to gain this achievement is in progress with the support of all people without political differences. The project will be completed by March 31, 2024."
Minister also said that all attempts solve the waste management issue in Kochi are being done.
"State government made an immediate intervention to solve the waste management issue after Brahmapuram waste fire. As a result, there is a visible difference during this monsoon. Attempts to solve this issue permanently are underway", he added.
Minister also said that from August onwards all services of the local body departments will be made online.
"This will reduce the chances of corruption. Internal vigilance officers will conduct surprise raids regularly to prevent corruption in local self-government departments", he said.
Minister also added that the presence of coliform bacteria has been identified in about 82 per cent of public water bodies in Kerala.
"It also identified 78 per cent of wells in Kerala, even though people of Kerala oppose the construction of waste management plants in their places. Now technology has changed. People should demand waste management plants in their places instead of blindly rejecting them", he said.
Minister Rajesh also said that the new liquor policy aims to bring changes in toddy.
"Toddy will be branded as "Kerala Toddy" and toddy shops will be modified and traditional Kerala food will be served there", Rajesh added.