415 million people lifted out of poverty in India: Govt

More than 400 million people were lifted out of poverty in India between 2005-06 to 2019-21, the government said on Monday citing UNDP's Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2022.

As per the baseline report of MPI 2021 released by NITI Aayog, India's MPI identifies 25.01 per cent of the population as multidimensionally poor, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Ministry of Planning Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

"As per the 'Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2022: Unpacking deprivation bundles to reduce multidimensional poverty' report released by Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in India, 415 million people exited poverty between 2005-06 to 2019-21," Singh said.

The MPI data was based on National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5, which was conducted over two years from June 17, 2019 to April 30, 2021 due to delay caused by the pandemic.

The percentage of population as multidimensionally poor in rural and urban areas is 32.75 per cent and 8.81 per cent, respectively, he added.

Singh said the government has been focusing on inclusive growth as reflected in its commitment to 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and has taken various steps to uplift the people living below poverty line in the country.

The minister added that the government is implementing several schemes, both central sector and centrally sponsored schemes, for reducing poverty in the country. 

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