World · India Bureau
India lifts 496 million from extreme poverty in 12 years: World Bank
India has achieved a landmark reduction in extreme poverty, with the World Bank reporting that nearly half a billion people have escaped severe deprivation since 2011. The dramatic progress reflects the country's sustained economic growth and targeted anti-poverty initiatives.
LSN India ·
India's extreme poverty rate has plummeted from 27.1 percent in 2011 to just 2.6 percent in 2023, according to new World Bank data, representing one of the most significant poverty reductions in the developing world. The improvement has lifted approximately 496 million people above the extreme poverty threshold of $4.20 daily income, marking a transformative shift in living standards across the nation.
The accelerated pace of poverty reduction reflects a combination of factors, including robust employment growth, increased female workforce participation, and the implementation of large-scale government social welfare schemes. These initiatives have worked in tandem with broader economic expansion to create pathways out of extreme deprivation for millions of Indian households.
The progress underscores India's emergence as a significant economic player capable of managing large-scale poverty alleviation alongside development challenges. With the extreme poverty rate now among the lowest in South Asia, the focus has increasingly shifted toward addressing other dimensions of poverty and inequality, including access to education, healthcare, and livelihood security.
The achievement comes amid ongoing efforts to build on this momentum through skill development programs and targeted interventions aimed at reaching the remaining populations in extreme poverty, particularly in rural and disadvantaged regions.