The survey’s praise represents a ringing rebuff to the opposition which has been unleashing a vituperative misinformation campaign against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government’s all-round achievements.

Minister for Local Self-Governments M. B. Rajesh had a dig at BJP state chief Rajiv Chandrasekhar and Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan. They should now clarify, Rajesh said, whether they still hold their earlier opinion of the EPEP being a mere publicity stunt. The Economic Survey has clearly said that none of the things the State Government said were mere claims. “We believe in action, not PR,” added Rajesh.

The Survey projects Kerala’s EPEP and Bihar’s Satat Jeevikoparjan Yojna (SJY) as innovative programmes to tackle poverty. Both SJY and the Kerala model showcase the involvement of the community and a multi-pronged strategy with continuous support and monitoring to ‘push’ the vulnerable out of the vicious cycle through hand-holding support, training, access to finance, and basic necessities. These interventions enable households to become self-reliant and resilient even in times of crisis. These innovations reflect broader national priorities, where targeted social investment is being scaled up, according to the Survey.

The Kerala Government, the Survey said, implemented a comprehensive method to identify the most vulnerable households through extensive community participation, led by local governments and supported by frontline workers, including ASHA, Anganwadi workers, Kudumbashree and activist groups.

Individualised micro-plans were created for each family, with regular digital tracking and monitoring service delivery by local self-governments and departments. The Kudumbashree network played a pivotal role as both community monitor and service provider, while local governments prioritised these interventions in their annual development plans.

The Kochi Water Metro has been singled out for special mention. The KWM represents a landmark shift in India’s urban mobility by establishing inland waterways as a sustainable mass transit option.

The success of the KWM serves as a scalable model for other Indian cities with navigable water bodies, potentially offering sustainable and efficient transportation options. The model will be replicated in 21 cities with feasibility studies on in several cities.

The Kochi Water Metro shows how institutional innovation, green technology and multi-model integration can convert natural water assets into efficient urban infrastructure. While replication must remain context-specific and demand-driven, the model provides a credible template for sustainable urban transport in India’s riverine and coastal cities, the Survey pointed out.

Meanwhile, Kerala added another first in its name by becoming the first State in the country to formulate a comprehensive urban policy, which aims at outlining development for the next 25 years. Highlighting the distinct nature of Kerala’s urbanisation, Minister M. B. Rajesh said the State could emerge as one continuous urban region from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram spread across major highways.

The policy is in its final stage and will be announced before the end of the Government’s term, the Minister said, adding that Kerala is among the fastest urbanising States in the country. The State’s urban population has increased from 26. 44 per cent in 1991 to 47.22 per cent in 2011. Estimates indicate that Kerala’s urban population has already crossed 60 per cent and that it could reach 80 per cent by 2051.

The urban policy, Rajesh said, would be based on the vision of inclusive cities with special focus given to women, senior citizens, children, workers and marginalised sections in line with Kerala’s social justice-oriented development model.

The Minister highlighted the relevance of projects such as high-speed rail and national highways which have been planned with long-term urban growth in mind. He also laid stress on the need for affordable and safe housing. He cited the LIFE Mission, under which agreements have been signed with over six lakh beneficiaries.

Kerala, incidentally, has made significant progress in solid waste management. The efficient handling of the Brahmapuram waste crisis is being cited as an example of the success story on the waste management front. A 15O-tonne compressed biogas plant at Brahmapuram is set to be commissioned shortly. The economic potential of urbanisation cannot be ignored, the Minister opined, as the cities contribute the largest share to the Gross Domestic Product(GDP).

The Kerala Government is also aiming at transforming the cities into growth hubs which drive employment, income generation and local economic development.

In this connection, the State is eagerly looking forward to the 16th Finance Commission report which is to be made public soon. The State is pinning high hopes on higher devolution of taxes and grants-in-aid, including revenue deficit (RD) grant, from the Commission’s recommendations.

Kerala is also expecting its own tax share to go up to Rs 94,002.47 crore and non-tax revenue, to Rs 20,355.77 crore. (IPA Service)