India Lifts 17 Crore People Out of Extreme Poverty, Sees Major Drop in Rural and Urban Poverty-World Bank

New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): India has made impressive gains in reducing poverty and expanding employment opportunities, according to the latest *India Poverty and Equity Brief* by the World Bank. The report highlights that the percentage of people living in extreme poverty has dropped significantly—from 16.2% in 2011–12 to just 2.3% in 2022–23. This remarkable progress means that around 17.1 crore people have been lifted out of extreme poverty over the past decade.

The rural population saw the most significant improvement, with extreme poverty levels falling from 18.4% to 2.8%. Urban poverty also declined sharply—from 10.7% to 1.1%. As a result, the gap between rural and urban poverty has narrowed substantially, indicating more balanced development across regions.

The World Bank also noted that employment growth in India has outpaced the rise in the working-age population—an encouraging sign for the country’s labor market. In another key development, India has officially transitioned into the lower-middle-income category. Under this classification, the broader measure of poverty has also declined significantly—from 61.8% to 28.1%—lifting nearly 37.8 crore people above the poverty line. The report underlines India's continued progress toward inclusive growth and economic resilience.