New Delhi, June 7 (H.S.): India has made significant progress in combating extreme poverty, with 269 million people rising above the extreme poverty line over 11 years, reducing the national poverty rate from 27.1% in 2011-12 to 5.3% by 2022-23. The number of individuals living in extreme poverty dropped from 344.47 million to 75.24 million in the same period. The states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, which housed 65% of the extremely poor in 2011-12, have contributed significantly to poverty reduction, accounting for over two-thirds of the progress by 2022-23.

Urban extreme poverty declined from 10.7% to 1.1%, while rural poverty fell from 18.4% to 2.8%. When using the older poverty line of $2.15 per day, the extreme poverty rate decreased from 16.2% to 2.3%, with those living below this threshold reduced from 205.93 million to 33.66 million. Prime Minister Narendra Modi credited various government programs such as PM Awas Yojana, PM Ujjwala Yojana, Jan Dhan Yojana, and Ayushman Bharat for this achievement, emphasizing initiatives focused on infrastructure and inclusion that benefitted the poor. Additionally, Digital Benefit Transfer and rural development efforts empowered many financially, contributing to lifting over 250 million people out of poverty, marking a critical step toward a poverty-free India.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar