State to be free of poverty by 2025: Kerala CM

The government is aiming at making the State free of poverty by 2025, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Monday.

The State will be declared poverty-free on November 1, 2025, he said while inaugurating a Welfare Fund Board for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) workers.

The Chief Minister said that 64,000 people in the State were found to have been under poverty in categories such as aged, sick and destitute. He said efforts were on under local self-government bodies to redeem them from poverty.

The Chief Minister called upon the people to join the drive to do away with poverty in the State. He said on November 1 this year, the government would announce the number of people saved from poverty.

According to Mr. Vijayan, most of the 64,000 people would be out o the poverty ring by 2024. And the drive will be complete by 2025, he said.

Pension raised

He said that the State had given much importance to welfare of the people. The welfare pension was ₹600 until 2016, and was raised to ₹1,600, he said. “More than 62 lakh beneficiaries are enjoying this pension,” he said.

Minister for Local Self-Governments M.B. Rajesh presided over the function. Minister for Power K. Krishnankutty was the chief guest. Local Administration Principal Secretary Sharmila Mary Joseph explained the new welfare fund project.

A. Prabhakaran, MLA, District Panchayat president K. Binumol, District Collector S. Chithra, and MNREGS Welfare Fund Board chief executive officer in charge A. Laser were present.