India's poverty rate comes down!

India has recorded a dramatic decline in poverty, with the proportion of people living below the World Bank's revised international poverty line of $3 per day (2021 Purchasing Power Parity, PPP) dropping from 27.1% in 2011 to just 5.3% in 2022. The updated poverty threshold, up from earlier $2.15 line based on 2017 PPP, aims to better reflect today's global prices and cost-of-living standards.

Back in 1977, nearly 78% of India's population lived below $3-a-day mark. By 1993, the figure had dropped to around 68% and to about 65% in 2004. However, the most rapid decline occurred in the last two decades. Between 2004 and 2022, the poverty rate fell by nearly 60 percentage points - a trend that accelerated especially after 2011.

In terms of absolute numbers, the change is equally striking. In 2004, over 531 million Indians were classified as poor under the $3 benchmark. That number fell to about 344 million by 2011 and further to just 75 million by 2022.

Several factors explain this sharp decline, which are :-

     * India's consistent economic growth has raised incomes and expanded job opportunities,

        particularly in urban and service sectors.

     * Government initiatives such as rural employment schemes, subsidised food programs and 

        expanded access to electricity, sanitation and digital services.

     * The importance of continuously updating poverty lines to account for inflation and real

        consumption patterns.

Overall, the sharp fall in poverty under the revised benchmark reflects both substantial gains and

the evolving nature of developmental changes in India.

Tailpiece.

Got up at our usual time, the chores and we opened up the house for the day.

Went for my walk in the morning.

The maid comes in for work.

A quiet Saturday.