Kerala Declared First Indian State Free from Extreme Poverty
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on November 1, 2025, that the state has eradicated extreme poverty, becoming the first Indian state to achieve this significant milestone through its four-year Extreme Poverty Alleviation Project. This historic declaration, however, faced strong criticism and skepticism from the Opposition United Democratic Front, who dismissed the claim as a "hollow proclamation" despite the state's multi-dimensional approach to defining and addressing poverty.