Context:

• Democracy is not just about elections but also about addressing the needs of vulnerable sections.
• The article evaluates poverty reduction in India under the current government.
• The focus is on poverty alleviation across social and religious groups between 2011-12 and 2023-24.

Measuring Poverty - The Rangarajan Poverty Line:

• The study uses the 2011-12 poverty line recommended by the C Rangarajan Committee.
• Key features:
  • Based on the Modified Mixed Recall Period (MMRP) for accurate household expenditure data.
  • Calibrated to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) norms for calorie-based food requirements.
  • Assigns higher weightage to non-food essentials in urban areas.
  • Poverty estimates for 2023-24 are updated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Data Sources and Methodology:

• Based on unit-level data from Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys (HCES):
  • 2011-12 survey: Over 1 lakh households.
  • 2023-24 survey: Over 2.5 lakh households.
• Conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India.

Findings of the Study:

• Overall decline in poverty (2011-12 to 2023-24):
  • Rural poverty fell from 30.4% to 3.9%.
  • Urban poverty declined from 26.4% to 3.9%.
• Poverty reduction among religious groups:
  • Muslims:
    • Rural areas: 31.7% (2011-12) → 2.4% (2023-24).
    • Urban areas: 39.4% (2011-12) → 5.7% (2023-24).
  • Hindus:
    • Rural areas:30.9% (2011-12) → 4% (2023-24).
    • Urban areas:24.4% (2011-12) → 3.7% (2023-24).
  • Convergence: The Muslim-Hindu gap in urban poverty reduced from 15 percentage points to 2 percentage points.
• Poverty reduction across social groups:
  • Scheduled Tribes (STs):
    • Rural:49.5% → 12.2%.
    • Urban:38.2% → 9.9%.
    • Poverty gap with the General category narrowed from 29.5 to 10.6 percentage points (rural) and from 21.5 to 7.4 percentage points (urban).
  • Scheduled Castes (SCs):
    • Rural: Gap with General category reduced from 17.4 to 2.6 percentage points.
    • Urban: Poverty fell from 39.6% to 6.6%, and the gap narrowed from 20 to 4.1 percentage points.
  • Other Backward Classes (OBCs): Poverty rate dropped from 30.4% to 3.6%.

Poverty Alleviation Schemes/Programmes:

• In rural India:
  • Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)
  • Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY NRLM)
  • Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY)
  • National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)
  • Watershed Development Component (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY)
• In urban India:
  • Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (National Urban Livelihoods Mission)
  • Jal Jeevan Mission (Urban)
  • Scheme to Augment City Buses & Urban Green Mobility
  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Housing for All - Urban)
  • Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)

Conclusion - Inclusive Growth and Democratic Governance:

• The above study shows that poverty has come down among all communities.
• India’s economic growth as well as government welfare programmes (including direct benefit transfers, rural employment programs, and food security initiatives) have been widely inclusive, and their impact on minorities and vulnerable groups has been substantial.
• The Modi government’s initiatives have reinforced democratic governance through social upliftment.