## Policy Summary: Poverty Reduction in India (2013-2023)
This document summarizes the Indian government's assessment of poverty reduction based on the National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Developed in 2021, the MPI measures poverty by considering deprivations across health, education, and standard of living, utilizing 12 indicators: nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, maternal health, years of schooling, school attendance, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, bank accounts, and assets.
Key findings include:
* Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the proportion of the population in multidimensional poverty decreased from 24.85% to 14.96%, signifying that approximately 135 million (13.5 crore) people escaped poverty during this period.
* A NITI Aayog discussion paper estimates that multidimensional poverty in India declined from 29.17% in 2013-14 to 11.28% in 2022-23. This indicates that 248.2 million (24.82 crore) people were lifted out of poverty during this period.
* The government brought 25 crore families above the poverty line until last year.
The original data and detailed reports are publicly accessible on the NITI Aayog website: [https://www.niti.gov.insitesdefaultfiles202308IndiaNationalMultidimentionalPoverty Index2023.pdf](https://www.niti.gov.insitesdefaultfiles202308IndiaNationalMultidimentionalPoverty Index2023.pdf) and [https://www.niti.gov.insitesdefaultfiles202401MPI22NITI Aayog20254.pdf](https://www.niti.gov.insitesdefaultfiles202401MPI22NITI Aayog20254.pdf).
This information was provided in response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 631 on July 23, 2025, by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Planning.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Planning: A ministry in the Government of India responsible for planning and development.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR: Member of Parliament who raised a question in the Lok Sabha.
SMT. LOVELY ANAND: Member of Parliament who raised a question in the Lok Sabha.
SHRI RAMPRIT MANDAL: Member of Parliament who raised a question in the Lok Sabha.
National Multidimensional Poverty Index MPI: A comprehensive index developed by the Government of India to measure poverty, capturing deprivations in health, education, and standard of living.
NITI Aayog: National Institution for Transforming India, a policy think tank of the Government of India.
RAO INDERJIT SINGH: Minister of State Independent Charge of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; Minister of State Independent Charge of the Ministry of Planning and Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PLANNING
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 631
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING BELOW POVERTY LINE
†631. SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR:
SMT. LOVELY ANAND:
SHRI RAMPRIT MANDAL:
Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has any data about the number of families still living below the
poverty line across the country as the Government have already brought 25 crore families
above the poverty line till last year and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether around 29.17 per cent of the population of the country was below the poverty
line during the year 2013-14; and
(c) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS
AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT
CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)
(a) to (c) In 2021, the Government of India developed a comprehensive index known as National
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to measure poverty that captures overlapping
deprivations in dimensions such as health, education and standard of living, covering 12
indicators namely, nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, maternal health, years of schooling,
school attendance, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, bank accounts
and assets. It measures both the share of people in poverty and the degree to which they are
deprived. The second edition of the index was released in 2023. As per the latest report,
‘National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress Review 2023’, released by NITI Aayog,
the proportion of population in multidimensional poverty declined from 24.85% to 14.96%
Page 1 of 2between 2015-16 and 2019- 21, indicating that about 13.5 crore people have escaped poverty
during the period.
Further, as per the discussion paper ‘Multidimensional Poverty in India since 2005- 06’
published by NITI Aayog, multidimensional poverty in India is estimated to have declined from
29.17% in 2013-14 to 11.28% in 2022-23 indicating that 24.82 crore people have escaped
poverty during this period.
The details of the same are in public domain and can be accessed at
https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-08/India-National-Multidimentional-Poverty-
Index-2023.pdf and https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-01/MPI-22_NITI-
Aayog20254.pdf .
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