Amitabh Bachchan, of course, thinks that India is no longer a third-world country; that it is a developed one. But have economic reforms—the process of liberalistion, globalisation and privatisation that began in 1991—reduced poverty?
The World Bank’s latest estimates of global poverty show that every third poor person in the world lives in rising, shining India. Of the total 1.4 billion global poor, 33 per cent are here. Worse, poverty came down much faster between 1981 and 1990, than between 1991 and 2005.
According to the new estimates, 828 million people (or 75.6% of India’s population) live on less than $2 a day (approximately Rs 80). In contrast, in sub-Saharan Africa, 551 million people (or 72.2% of population) live on less than $2 a day.
1980: 421 million (60% of population) live on less than $1.25 (approximately Rs 50) a day mark
1990: 436 million (51% of population)
1999: 447 million (45% of population)
2005: 456 million people (42% of population)
Map: courtesy earthtrends; data from World Bank working paper 2003
Also read: Everybody loves a good number: 93, 77, 54, 33…
churumuri 
There is tons of data available on this issue, and has been for decades. But has any sensible plan of action ever been devised to combat poverty? It begins as a fight between free market liberals and Left-leaning supporters/radicals and ends up as a hotch potch of policies.
The Europeans and Japanese (after WW II), South Korea in the 80s and China, Malaysia in the 90s developed their own models (flaws and all) and advanced. We continue to develop at a snail’s pace, but with little foresight as to where we should be in 10 or 20 years time.
LikeLike
After all, he’s the Sarkar! :P
LikeLike
right side image not visible
LikeLike
Same country, India, tha has 450 Million impoverished, poor people and has produced 56 Dollar Billionaires ranked in the Fortune List !
LikeLike
80 rupees a day is not bad. Rs. 2400/month/person is good, especially in the villages.
LikeLike
I’ll say this once, and I’ll say it for the last time:
Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics.
LikeLike
1. Change the map of India, else Govt can take action.
2. We have to wait to hear from experts how this World bank calculation was done. Lots of mischief is played the way calculation is done.
3. What is the distrubution of <$2/day across different states?
I think, Bihar, UP, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam tops the list.
LikeLike
The official map of Bharat is here:
http://india.gov.in/maps/indiaindex.php
Please change it. You have put a Pakistani version (or the one obtained by your close chinese friends) .
This could potentially land you in a legal soup..
LikeLike
***K India….split it (riders attached)….only solution to this huge population mass..
LikeLike
I do not think you need to change the map. In my understanding you are posting someone else’s report. What probably you need to do could be to leave a foot note?
Anyways, your article indicates the problem with the aim to be a ‘super power’ force. It can be done by only 20% of succesful population. And we can keep ignoring the rest (if they allow it). Probably, the aim we should have is to increase our quality of life and have a progressive & inclusive culture as a bench mark? Of course, someone could argue that without power you cannot achieve it. I am not sure I can conclude this way or that, but I would prefer the former.
LikeLike
pedda is perfectly right. the ‘poverty line’ needs to be calculated based on PPP (Purchasing Power Parity). Rs. 2400 is not a ‘subhuman’ figure in India.
That said, we still have a lot to do, especially in terms of ‘Quality of Life’ as hari says. But the report on people below poverty line is nothing but ‘lies, damned lies and statistics’ as Alok says.
LikeLike
Well, who would think India is a developing country after having a bahu like her? ( Who know who :P)
LikeLike
so during the decades of the much publicized ‘hindu’ rate of growth, poverty fell at the rates comparable to those during the secular(?) rate of growth? who would have thunk?
i guess ‘globalization’, ‘liberalized’ economy etc etc are all then useless-ha?
or does it mean ‘hindu’ rate of growth peaked and was threatening to dip, then liberalization and globalization had to be done even to sustain that ‘hindu’ rate?
next wave lot more young indians. innu enella maaDbekO to sustain growth?
looks like east of the sindhu all rate of growth happens at the hindu rate.
whatever, important thing is thanks to secular policies in sustaining hindu rate, last decade we have pulled considerably ahead of other rates of growth in the neighbourhood. that has implications on our security. for example, if we go out today and talk of our security problems, people are actually willing to listen to us.
dravya kaLkonDa ganDanna, henDteenu keLola antha obba hiriya hELi hOda. bhaaLa nija aa maatu.
LikeLike
Guyz.
Do not blame throw the blame on someone else if there is a crime reported in your area. The rich get robbed not the poor.
How the rich carry the attributes of lording over the rest of the population ?
Long back there was a class war in Britain between the so called Lord’s and commoner.
Australian was created by Britain as a part of this class war. All convicts were sent to Australia.
This struggle has begun in India.
Robbery, Smuggling,seccession, separatism etc.
You must realise that its a part of addressing the root cause.
You have a country which is not feeding and educating substantial section.
Realise this need to have a clinical precision and not boardroom talk.
The Political class has merged with the Capitalists in creating this huge divide.
LikeLike
NRN is to be blamed for this poverty in India
LikeLike
Pl replace the the map with a correct one immediately.
LikeLike
Hey pls change the map to the Indian map..
we have still not given up Northern Areas and POK
LikeLike
Goldstar is to be blamed for the extreme filth on the streets of India, the spiralling crime rate, the increase of terrorist threats, the Kashmir problem remaining unresolved, and the rapid spread of HIV in India.
LikeLike
Stop taking the dollar as a standard. Where are the daily expenses mentioned in this article?
LikeLike
There is a lot of injustice in India still for the common man. My husband went back to visit and says it is a good thing for all NRI’s–living here we get spoiled and read stuff about shining India. It is only when you go back that you see that development for the underclass there is going at a snail’s pace. China has done much better in terms of education for the poor.
No matter how much India becomes richer, it will always be brought down by its underclass if it does not focus on development and fair, equal, quality education for all strata in society. My husband says a trip to India always is a good reality check, in terms of really appreciating what you have here. He says that the shining India is bogus–Not to say that some progress is being made, but it is nothing to boast about. He says that this is what he hates about India–there is no justice for the common man.
LikeLike