Nearly 25 crore people escape multidimensional poverty in 12 years through welfare measures
New Delhi, June 8
Nearly 25 crore people have escaped multidimensional poverty over the past 12 years through expanded welfare delivery and social protection measures, the government said on Monday.
The government highlighted advancements in tap water coverage, open defecation status, health security, food security and female primary school enrolment.
Rural tap water coverage rose from 3.23 crore households in August 2019 to 15.84 crore by May 2026, and 2.77 lakh villages have achieved 100 per cent tap water coverage under the Har Ghar Jal campaign, bringing household coverage to 81.87 per cent, an official statement said.
Over 12.11 crore household toilets were built, lifting rural sanitation from 39 per cent in 2014 to universal coverage.
PM Ujjwala Yojana provided over 10.57 crore free LPG connections, improving women's health and reducing indoor pollution, the government said.
Multidimensional poverty declined sharply from 29.17 per cent in 2013-14 to 11.28 per cent in 2022-23, marking a 17.89 percentage‑point reduction.
Meanwhile average inflation declined from 8.1 per cent during 2004-2014 to 5.1 per cent during 2014-2025, improving household purchasing power.
The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), launched in 2019, facilitated significant advancements in health, educational attainment, and socio-economic status for rural populations.
Fiscal allocations for the scheme expanded about 488 per cent between 2020-21 and 2026-27, reaching Rs. 67,670 crore.
On health and food security, the government said Ayushman Bharat expanded affordable healthcare access for economically vulnerable families, while Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) ensured free food grains for over 81 crore beneficiaries.
Female primary school dropout rates declined sharply from 4.6 per cent in 2013-14 to 0.3 per cent in 2024-25. Digital governance reforms enabled Aadhaar-based ration delivery. Welfare delivery also expanded in Aspirational Districts and tribal regions through targeted water, sanitation, and livelihood interventions.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative was designed to address the declining Child Sex Ratio and combat gender-biased sex-selective practices. The sex ratio improved from 943 (Census 2011) to 1,020 females per 1,000 males by 2021 and secondary school enrolment for girls expanded from 75.51 per cent in 2014-15 to 80.2 per cent by 2024-25.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm happy about the progress, but let's not forget that inflation, while lower than before, still hurts the common man. The 5.1% average is fine on paper, but when you go to the market, prices of essential items have shot up. Also, the poverty figures are based on a multidimensional index—does that really capture hunger and daily struggles? Still, good to see some schemes working. Hope we can do even better in the next decade.
As an NRI, it's heartening to see these numbers. My family back in rural Punjab has directly benefited from Ujjwala—my mother no longer suffers from asthma due to smoke from wood fires. And the improvement in female education is critical. My cousin, who would have been married off at 16, is now in college thanks to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiatives. Real change takes time, but the direction is positive.
The numbers are impressive, but I'm skeptical about the 'universal coverage' claim for toilets. In my district, many public toilets are poorly maintained and unused. Also, the dropout rate for girls dropping to 0.3% seems too good to be true—there are reports of many girls still being pulled out for household work. Let's celebrate the progress but not become complacent. Need more ground-level verification.
I work as a teacher in a government school in a tribal area. The changes in the last 12 years are real. More girls are coming to school, and they have better nutrition thanks to mid-day meals. The Jal Jeevan Mission has been a game-changer—the girls who used to spend hours fetching water are now in class. Yes, there are still challenges, but we can't ignore the massive improvement in quality of life for lakhs of families.
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