‘Eradication of Extreme Poverty Was Not a Government Program; It Was a Journey Alongside Human Lives’: T.V. Anupama
T.V. Anupama IAS, Special Secretary of Local Self-Government, stated that the eradication of extreme poverty was not merely a government program, but ‘a journey alongside the lives of thousands of people.’ Anupama expressed pride in being part of this historic journey as Kerala rises to become the first state in the country to be free of extreme poverty. She further elaborated on Facebook that local self-government institutions, officials, and voluntary organizations approached this project with a firm determination to improve every life.
Kerala is once again becoming part of history. I am proud to be part of this historic journey as Kerala rises to become the first state in the country to be free of extreme poverty.
After the rehabilitation efforts following the 2018 floods, I had the opportunity to work on micro-level projects in the Local Self-Government Department. The Local Self-Government Department led the extreme poverty eradication project and coordinated various departmental schemes and programs at the local institutional level. It is through the systematic work of local institutions that the project has reached its current state!
I joined the department after the micro-plan for the extreme poverty eradication project was being prepared. However, following Madam Sharada Muraleedharan’s advice, I studied and implemented this model for preparing micro-plans for those affected by the Meppadi disaster in Wayanad. My association with this project began around that time when I got the opportunity to handle the extreme poverty eradication project in the government. Therefore, what I am writing here also incorporates the feelings of those who directly participated in the project.
For us, this was not just a government program — but a journey alongside the lives of thousands of people.
Walking those paths, I saw new avenues towards hope and livelihood, and people transforming their lives.
Many stories of support were also witnessed. Many local self-government institutions, officials, and voluntary organizations saw this not just as a project, but as a mission with a firm resolve to change every life. In government, there are issues that require careful deliberation and those that need quick decisions. While the beginning of the extreme poverty eradication project fell into the first category, the work of the past few days has been in the second category. This included decisions beyond existing government decisions, new government orders, creative interventions to resolve special cases, coordination with other departments on critically important issues, efforts to identify and quickly resolve omissions, and special issues that even reached the cabinet multiple times – and so on.
It can be said without a doubt that this project was one where departmental barriers almost completely disappeared.
Like any project, this project does not claim to be perfect. There may be omissions. It is the responsibility of every Malayali to make this project complete while upholding the dignity and self-respect of helpless people.
Even as the state government makes this announcement today, our thoughts from tomorrow onwards will not be about sleeping well, but about finding and including those who may have been left out.
Pride. Thank you.