NEW DELHI: Poverty in India reduced significantly at multi-dimensional level, lifting 24.82 crore people out of deprivation in the last nine years, according to a NITI Aayog report.
The study, titled ‘Multi-dimensional Poverty in India since 2005-06’, revealed a massive decline in poverty from 29.17 per cent in 2013-14 to 11.28 per cent in 2022-23, showcasing a 17.89 percentage point reduction.
The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is a globally recognised comprehensive measure that captures poverty in multiple dimensions beyond monetary aspects. Notably, the pace of decline accelerated between 2015-16 to 2019-21, with a 10.66 per cent annual rate of decline compared to 7.69%in the preceding period. All 12 indicators of the Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) showed significant improvement.
The report, released by Prof Ramesh Chand, Member of NITI Aayog, and BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, highlighted the country’s progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) well before 2030. Government initiatives such as Poshan Abhiyan, Anemia Mukt Bharat, and the National Food Security Act were credited for this achievement.
“Uttar Pradesh registered the largest decline in the number of poor with 5.94 crore people escaping the multidimensional poverty during the last nine years followed by Bihar at 3.77 crore, Madhya Pradesh at 2.30 crore and Rajasthan at 1.87 crore,” the government release said.