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Kerala has received worldwide attention for its remarkable achievements in social sector. However, marine fisherfolk is an 'outlier' community in the state. Many studies identified fisherfolk in Thiruvananthapuram district as the most vulnerable among them. As poverty is a cause and consequence of vulnerability, this paper analyses the incidence and intensity of multidimensional poverty among fisherfolk in Thiruvananthapuram. The study employs cross-sectional research design and primary data was collected from 600 fisher households in three coastal villages. Multidimensional poverty index (MPI) was constructed by using Alkire-Foster methodology. Results indicate that MPI of marine fisher-folk households is 0.1 and 26 percent of these households are MPI poor. As per estimates of OPHI,MPIof Kerala is 0.004 and only one percent of people in Kerala are MPI poor. This reveals that incidence of multidimensional poverty is higher among fisherfolk as compared to general population in Kerala. Average intensity of deprivation among the poor is almost 40 percent.

ABSTRACTIn the context of the continuing and lively debate on the estimates, trends and determinants of rural poverty in India, this article examines the sharp decline, since the late 1970s, in the incidence of rural poverty in the state of Kerala, well known for its record of social development. It is argued that, given the slow rate of growth of the Kerala economy in general and agriculture in particular since the mid‐1970s, the 'trickle down' theory cannot explain the decline in poverty. Similarly, the fact that rural wages have increased faster than the consumer price index does not constitute a sufficient condition for crossing the poverty line. Expansion of state‐directed programmes is seen to be the single most important determinant in reducing rural poverty. The effect of public intervention programmes is roughly estimated to be equal to one fifth of the consumption of rural labour households. The lesson of Kerala for poverty alleviation is that social protection expressed in terms of meeting the basic consumption requirements of the poor, especially the vulnerable among the poor, should be a necessary component of development policy. However, this is not a sufficient condition: there should also be a growth strategy which would provide adequate employment to all members of the labour force from the poorer sections of the population. The current line of official thinking in India, in the context of economic liberalization, is hardly conducive to such a strategy.

INTRODUCTION: Health promoting school (HPS) is a holistic concept where health and learning coexist. The objective of this study was to assess the health promoting standards of schools in Kerala. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was designed in Kerala, India, with schools in Kerala as a study unit. A questionnaire which consisted of 37 items across eight domains of the HPS concept was developed and validated. The schools were then graded into compliant and not compliant categories based on scores obtained. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was also done. RESULTS: Of 120 schools, 90.8% were compliant toward health education domain and only 8.3% were compliant with nutrition services. Majority of schools showed compliance with the other six domains. Average overall scores were 153 (58.8%) with the equal number of schools in both compliant and not compliant categories. There was a significant association between health education and physical education domain with respect to the type of school, i.e., privately managed had six times more chances of being compliant toward health education domain compared to government schools (odds ratio [OR] 6.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10–33.29). Hence, also private schools had two times more chance of being compliant toward physical education compared to government schools (OR 2.52; 95% CI 1.0 – 4.32). Physical education domain showed a significant association with respect to geographic region, i.e., the schools in North Kerala were found to be three times more compliant compared to South Kerala (OR 3.48; 95% CI 1.05–11.53). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the good health and social indicators in Kerala, there is a deficiency in schools promoting health of children. A coordinated effort by the government and the education system can convert existing schools into health promoting.

In India, the state of Kerala is considered as Gods own country. This Southern most state of India was cited by Amartya Sen as the model of Development, which shines in various aspects like literacy, secularism, technological pursuits, life expectancy and political upsurge. At the same time it bears impediments with respect to unemployment among educated youth, alcoholism, divorce and family breakdown. Despite these, another factor that can be added to the dread list is the spiralling suicide rate. The latest figures from the National Crime Records Bureau show that 8,431 people killed themselves during 2010; the State accounted for 6.2 per cent of the total number of suicides in the country. The NCRB data also showed that the national average suicide rate was 11.2 per lakh population during 2010, which was marginally lower than 11.4 per lakh population during 2009 (NCRB Report 2010). Though Keralas per centage share has come down, there has been an increase in the rate of suicide from 24.6 per lakh population in 2009 to 25.3 per lakh population in 2010 which is two times higher than national average; which means one suicide per hour. In fact, 2010 has had the dubious distinction of having witnessed the highest number of suicides in the last five years (NCRB reports 2010). Police sources add that 36 cases of suicide have already registered in the first two months of the current year. For each completed suicide there are 20 times more suicidal attempts. Each suicide, on an average leaves 20 times more people in severe distress (NCRB 2011). Maithri, an NGO in Kerala says that around 100 people attempt suicide every day in Kerala, of whom 25 are successful. More men kill themselves than women, the ratio being 7:3 and 80 per cent of the suicides are by those in the 15 to 59 age group.

Kerala State in southwestern India has achieved among the Third World's highest rates of life expectancy, literacy, & infant mortality, despite one of the lowest per capita incomes. Especially notable is the nearly equal distribution of development benefits to urban & rural, male & female, & high & low caste sections of the population. Even population distribution, a cosmopolitan trading history, & the development of militant worker & small farmer organizations led by dedicated activists account for these achievements. Land reform has redistributed wealth & political power from a rich elite to small holders & landless laborers. Public food distribution at controlled prices, large-scale public health actions, accessible medical facilities, & widespread literacy combine with & reinforce each other to maintain & expand Kerala's achievements. Serious unemployment is a threat, but Kerala nonetheless offers important lessons to development planners, policymakers, & Third World activists. 4 Tables. AA

An inevitable consequence of demographic transition in the Indian state of Kerala is the rapidly declining school enrolment in government-funded lower primary schools. So far studies dealing with demographic transition and falling school enrolment concluded that fertility decline is the sole reason for this. A major limitation of these studies is that they focused only on students enrolled in schools affiliated to the Directorate of Public Instruction without accounting for the enrolments of parallel fee-charging private unaided English-medium schools in the state. Based on the enrolment statistics of the Directorate of Public Instruction, studies argued that fertility decline is the main reason for school enrolment decline, leading to the emergence of uneconomic schools. Our analysis shows that aside from fertility decline, the poor quality of teaching in government-funded schools and the resultant exodus to private unaided English-medium schools is significant in accounting for decline in enrolments. The retention of students in government-funded schools can be sustained only by improving the quality of school education.