World Bank Report: India Lifted 496 Million People Out Of Poverty Between 2011 And 2023

India lifted an estimated 496 million people out of poverty between 2011 and 2023, with the proportion of the population living in extreme poverty declining from 27.1% to 2.6%, according to the World Bank’s October 2026 Poverty and Equity Brief.

The report found that the share of people living below the lower-middle-income poverty line of USD 4.20 per day, measured at 2021 purchasing power parity (PPP), fell from 57.7% to 16.1% during the same period.

Describing the progress as one of the fastest poverty declines globally, the World Bank highlighted improvements in both monetary and non-monetary measures of poverty. It attributed the reduction primarily to stronger consumption growth, rising employment, particularly among women, and expanded social transfers, including food subsidies.

The report expects poverty to decline further, although at a slower pace. Its projections suggest that the poverty rate at the USD 4.20-a-day threshold could fall from 14.2% in 2026 to 12.1% by 2028.

The World Bank cautioned that these indicative estimates could change as new labour market and economic data become available.

Non-monetary poverty declined, with the Multidimensional Poverty Index falling from 53.8% in 2005-06 to 16.4% in 2019-21.

The World Bank’s measure stood at 15.5% in 2022-23.

57% of India’s poor remain concentrated between Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Employment grew by 134 million between 2017 and 2023, partly due to more rural women entering paid work.

Youth unemployment increased from 14.6% to 15.9%, particularly among rural young women.

Real earnings remained largely unchanged, while much of the employment growth came from low-productivity activities.

The World Bank added that improved survey methods may account for some of the reported poverty reduction alongside actual improvements in living standards.

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