Lok Sabha Question No. 463 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-03
Subject: People Living under Extreme Poverty
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Shri Anto Antony, Adv. Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 463

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.12.2025

## PEOPLE LIVING UNDER EXTREME POVERTY

463. SHRI ANTO ANTONY: ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has done any latest review on the alleviation of extreme poverty in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the total number of people living under extreme poverty during the last five years, State-wise and year-wise;
- (c) the criteria and methodology used for defining extreme poverty in the country;
- (d) whether it is true that Government of Kerala has declared the State as free from extreme poverty in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of norms for declaring a State free from extreme poverty in the country?

## 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)  The  Government  of  India  developed  a  comprehensive  index  known  as  National Multidimensional  Poverty  Index  (MPI)  to  measure  poverty.  The  Multidimensional  Poverty Index (MPI) is based on the Alkire-Foster (AF) methodology- an internationally recognized method which captures overlapping deprivations through 12 indicators in dimensions such as health,  education,  and  standard  of  living.  The  baseline  report  was  published  in  November 2021 and the second edition of the National MPI report was released in July 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%  between  2015-16  and  2019-  21,  indicating  that  about  13.5  crore people  have  escaped  poverty  during  the  period.  Further,  as  per  the  discussion  paper  on Multidimensional Poverty in India since 200506 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 implying that 24.82 crore people have escaped poverty during this period. The state-wise 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-MultidimentionalPovertyIndex-2023.pdf and https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2024-01/MPI-22\_NITIAayog20254.pdf.

- (d) and (e) On 1 st November, 2025. the Government of Kerala has officially announced the State as the first in the country free from extreme poverty.

The Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme was launched in 2021 by the Government of Kerala. A comprehensive identification process was conducted at the local body, division, and ward levels to identify extreme poverty cases based on distress factors such as food, health, housing,  and  income.  The  finalised  beneficiary  list,  approved  by  Grama/Ward  Sabhas, identified  64,006  families  in  need  of  support  under  the  programme.  Various  health,  food, shelter, income etc. related interventions were undertaken for these families during the project thereby; lifting them out of extreme poverty.

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