New Delhi, Nov. 1 -- Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday declared in the assembly that the state was free of extreme poverty. Vijayan made the announcement in a special session of the House convened on the occasion of Kerala 'Piravi' or formation day.

Addressing the Assembly, Vijayan said, "Every Kerala Piravi (State Formation Day), we celebrate with joy. But this year's Kerala Piravi Day is, for the people of Kerala, the dawn of a new era."

"Today's Kerala Piravi marks a place in history because we have succeeded in making Kerala the first Indian state without extreme poverty," he announced.

The Chief Minister said that the concept of forming linguistic states was forwarded by the national movement a century ago. "Howev...