Dear Reader,

Kerala’s ambitious claim of eliminating extreme poverty is a critical test case in contemporary Indian governance. But a declaration of success is only the beginning of a truly informed debate. At Scroll, we believe that understanding India requires moving beyond simple statistics to scrutinise the policy, the process and the remaining challenges.

We committed to comprehensive coverage, beginning with an analysis of the government’s policy framework. Our first article examined the specific policy levers and asked what other states could learn and replicate from Kerala’s approach.

We followed up by looking beyond statistics, asking if the most crucial takeaway was the decentralised, community-driven institutional machinery, particularly the Kudumbashree network, that underpinned the entire initiative.

Finally, we published a necessary critique that challenged the state’s metrics by highlighting persistent, hidden multi-dimensional poverty among marginalised communities and the homeless.

This kind of comprehensive, three-dimensional coverage is the hallmark of Scroll. We ask the hard questions that hold power accountable and highlight the complexity of India's development journey.

If you value journalism that provides scrutiny, depth and multiple perspectives on stories that truly matter, please become a Scroll member today. Your support makes this nuanced coverage possible.

Regards,
Team Scroll