WB Poverty Update: India is the Biggest Contributor to Increased Global Poverty in 2023

[RiazHaq]

WB Poverty Update: India is the Biggest Contributor to Increased Global Poverty in 2023

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to...

www.southasiainvestor.com

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to the World Bank September 2023 Global Poverty Update. It is the same update that made the following recent headline in the Indian and Pakistani media about Pakistan: "Pakistan's 40% Population Lives Below Poverty Line, Says World Bank". Fact: 45.9% of Indians and 39.4% of Pakistanis live below the $3.65 a day poverty line as of September, 2023, according to the the latest World Bank global poverty update that takes into account the impact of inflation on poverty rates. But neither the Pakistani media nor India's compliant "Godi Media" reported it. Nor did they question why poverty in India is growing despite Modi government's claim to be the "the world's fastest growing economy".

Global Child Poverty Rate. Source: UNICEF

Another recent report by UNICEF that went unnoticed by the media is that the child poverty rate in India far exceeds the rate in Bangladesh and Pakistan: At $2.15 poverty level, India has 11.5% children under poverty, Pakistan 5.6% and Bangladesh 5.1%. At $3.65 poverty level, India has 49.8% children under poverty, Pakistan 45% and Bangladesh 35.2%.

Child Poverty Rate By Year By Region From 2013 to 2022. Source: UNICEF

The UNICEF data shows that South Asia region's child poverty rate at $2.15 for any year since 2013 drops to about a half when India is excluded.
The latest World Bank and UNICEF reports remind me of the famous Indian writer and poet Javed Akhtar who told his audience at a conference in Mumbai earlier this year that he saw "no visible poverty" in Lahore during his multiple visits to Pakistan over the last three decades. Responding to Indian novelist Chetan Bhagat's query about Pakistan's economic crisis at ABP's "Ideas of India Summit 2023" in Mumbai, Akhtar said: "Unlike what you see in Delhi and
Mumbai, I did not see any visible poverty in Lahore". This was Akhtar's first interview upon his return to India after attending "Faiz Festival" in Lahore, Pakistan.

Javed Akhtar at ABP Ideas Summit in Mumbai

Chetan Bhagat began by talking about high inflation, low forex reserves and major economic crisis in Pakistan and followed it up by asking Javed Akhtar about its effects he saw on the people in Pakistan. In response, Akhtar said, "Bilkul Nahin (Not at all). In India you see poverty right in front of you, next door to a billionaire. Maybe it is kept back of the beyond. Only some people are allowed to enter certain areas. But you don't see it (poverty) on the streets. In India, it is right in front of you...amiri bhi or gharibi bhi (wealth and poverty). Sare kam apke samne hain (It's all in front of you). Wahan yeh dekhai nahin deta (you don't see it in Pakistan)".

Alhamra Arts Center, Lahore, Pakistan

Disappointed by the response, Bhagat suggested that the Indian visitor could have been guided by his hosts through certain routes where he couldn't see any poverty. Javed Akhtar then said "it's not possible to hide poverty. I would have seen at least a "jhalak" (glimpse) of it as I always do in Delhi and Mumbai....I have been to Pakistan many times but I have not seen it".
What Javed Akhtar saw and reported recently is obviously anecdotal evidence. But it is also supported by hard data. Over 75% of the world's poor deprived of basic living standards (nutrition, cooking fuel, sanitation and housing) live in India compared to 4.6% in Bangladesh and 4.1% in Pakistan, according to a recently released OPHI/UNDP report on multidimensional poverty. Here's what the report says: "More than 45.5 million poor people are deprived in only these four indicators (nutrition, cooking fuel, sanitation and housing). Of those people, 34.4 million live in India, 2.1 million in Bangladesh and 1.9 million in Pakistan—making this a predominantly South Asian profile".

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2022. Source: OPHI/UNDP

Income Poverty in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Source: Our World in Data

The UNDP poverty report shows that the income poverty (people living on $1.90 or less per day) in Pakistan is 3.6% while it is 22.5% in India and 14.3% in Bangladesh. In terms of the population vulnerable to multidimensional poverty, Pakistan (12.9%) does better than Bangladesh (18.2%) and India (18.7%) However, Pakistan fares worse than India and Bangladesh in multiple dimensions of poverty. The headline multidimensional poverty (MPI) figure for Pakistan (0.198) is worse than for Bangladesh (0.104) and India (0.069). This is primarily due to the education and health deficits in Pakistan. Adults with fewer than 6 years of schooling are considered multidimensionally poor by OPHI/UNDP. Income poverty is not included in the MPI calculations. The data used by OHP/UNDP for MPI calculation is from years 2017/18 for Pakistan and from years 2019/2021 for India.

Multidimensional Poverty in South Asia. Source: UNDP

The Indian government's reported multidimensional poverty rate of 25.01% is much higher than the OPHI/UNDP estimate of 16.4%. NITI Ayog report released in November 2021 says: "India’s national MPI identifies 25.01 percent of the population as multidimensionally poor".

Multidimensional Poverty in India. Source: NITI Ayog via IIP

Earlier last year, Global Hunger Index 2022 reported that India ranks 107th for hunger among 121 nations. The nation fares worse than all of its South Asian neighbors except for war-torn Afghanistan ranked 109, according to the the report. Sri Lanka ranks 64, Nepal 81, Bangladesh 84 and Pakistan 99. India and Pakistan have levels of hunger that are considered serious. Both have slipped on the hunger charts from 2021 when India was ranked 101 and Pakistan 92. Seventeen countries, including Bosnia, China, Kuwait, Turkey and UAE, are collectively ranked between 1 and 17 for having a score of less than five.
Here's a video of Javed Akhtar's interview with Chetan Bhagat at ABP's "Ideas of India Summit 2023". Please watch from 4:19 to 6:00 minutes.

Javed Akhtar LIVE | Ideas Of India Summit 2023 LIVE | ABP Majha LIVE

#abpमाà¤à¤¾ #abpmajha #maharashtrapoliticalcrisis #supremecourt #shivsenasymbol #thackerayvsshinde #maharashtrapolitics #marathinews #uddhavthackeray #SC Mahar...

www.youtube.com

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

Pakistan Among World's Largest Food Producers
Pakistan Floods 2022
Food in Pakistan 2nd Cheapest in the World

India in Crisis: Unemployment and Hunger Persist After COVID
India Rising, Pakistan Collapsing
Record Number of Indians Seeking Asylum in US

Vast Majority of Pakistanis Support Imran Khan's Handling of Covid19 Crisis

Incomes of Poorest Pakistanis Growing Faster Than Their Richest Counterparts

Pakistanis Consuming More Calories, Fruits & Vegetables Per Capita

How Grim is Pakistan's Social Sector Progress?

Pakistan Fares Marginally Better Than India On Disease Burdens

COVID Lockdown Decimates India's Middle Class

Pakistan Child Health Indicators

Pakistan's Balance of Payments Crisis

How Has India Built Large Forex Reserves Despite Perennial Trade Deficits

Riaz Haq's Youtube Channel

PakAlumni Social Network

WB Poverty Update: India is the Biggest Contributor to Increased Global Poverty in 2023

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to...

www.southasiainvestor.com

 

[GreatHanWarrior]

Fake news!

India is only super power!
India will lead the Third World!
India has the world's highest economic growth rate!

 

[epebble]

But all three countries seem to be making remarkable progress. Hopefully in a couple of decades, it can reach a much smaller value.

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

WB Poverty Update: India is the Biggest Contributor to Increased Global Poverty in 2023

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to...

www.southasiainvestor.com

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to the World Bank September 2023 Global Poverty Update. It is the same update that made the following recent headline in the Indian and Pakistani media about Pakistan: "Pakistan's 40% Population Lives Below Poverty Line, Says World Bank". Fact: 45.9% of Indians and 39.4% of Pakistanis live below the $3.65 a day poverty line as of September, 2023, according to the the latest World Bank global poverty update that takes into account the impact of inflation on poverty rates. But neither the Pakistani media nor India's compliant "Godi Media" reported it. Nor did they question why poverty in India is growing despite Modi government's claim to be the "the world's fastest growing economy".

​

Global Child Poverty Rate. Source: UNICEF

Another recent report by UNICEF that went unnoticed by the media is that the child poverty rate in India far exceeds the rate in Bangladesh and Pakistan: At $2.15 poverty level, India has 11.5% children under poverty, Pakistan 5.6% and Bangladesh 5.1%. At $3.65 poverty level, India has 49.8% children under poverty, Pakistan 45% and Bangladesh 35.2%.

​

Child Poverty Rate By Year By Region From 2013 to 2022. Source: UNICEF

The UNICEF data shows that South Asia region's child poverty rate at $2.15 for any year since 2013 drops to about a half when India is excluded.
The latest World Bank and UNICEF reports remind me of the famous Indian writer and poet Javed Akhtar who told his audience at a conference in Mumbai earlier this year that he saw "no visible poverty" in Lahore during his multiple visits to Pakistan over the last three decades. Responding to Indian novelist Chetan Bhagat's query about Pakistan's economic crisis at ABP's "Ideas of India Summit 2023" in Mumbai, Akhtar said: "Unlike what you see in Delhi and
Mumbai, I did not see any visible poverty in Lahore". This was Akhtar's first interview upon his return to India after attending "Faiz Festival" in Lahore, Pakistan.

​

Javed Akhtar at ABP Ideas Summit in Mumbai

Chetan Bhagat began by talking about high inflation, low forex reserves and major economic crisis in Pakistan and followed it up by asking Javed Akhtar about its effects he saw on the people in Pakistan. In response, Akhtar said, "Bilkul Nahin (Not at all). In India you see poverty right in front of you, next door to a billionaire. Maybe it is kept back of the beyond. Only some people are allowed to enter certain areas. But you don't see it (poverty) on the streets. In India, it is right in front of you...amiri bhi or gharibi bhi (wealth and poverty). Sare kam apke samne hain (It's all in front of you). Wahan yeh dekhai nahin deta (you don't see it in Pakistan)".

​

Alhamra Arts Center, Lahore, Pakistan

Disappointed by the response, Bhagat suggested that the Indian visitor could have been guided by his hosts through certain routes where he couldn't see any poverty. Javed Akhtar then said "it's not possible to hide poverty. I would have seen at least a "jhalak" (glimpse) of it as I always do in Delhi and Mumbai....I have been to Pakistan many times but I have not seen it".
What Javed Akhtar saw and reported recently is obviously anecdotal evidence. But it is also supported by hard data. Over 75% of the world's poor deprived of basic living standards (nutrition, cooking fuel, sanitation and housing) live in India compared to 4.6% in Bangladesh and 4.1% in Pakistan, according to a recently released OPHI/UNDP report on multidimensional poverty. Here's what the report says: "More than 45.5 million poor people are deprived in only these four indicators (nutrition, cooking fuel, sanitation and housing). Of those people, 34.4 million live in India, 2.1 million in Bangladesh and 1.9 million in Pakistan—making this a predominantly South Asian profile".

​

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2022. Source: OPHI/UNDP

​

Income Poverty in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Source: Our World in Data

The UNDP poverty report shows that the income poverty (people living on $1.90 or less per day) in Pakistan is 3.6% while it is 22.5% in India and 14.3% in Bangladesh. In terms of the population vulnerable to multidimensional poverty, Pakistan (12.9%) does better than Bangladesh (18.2%) and India (18.7%) However, Pakistan fares worse than India and Bangladesh in multiple dimensions of poverty. The headline multidimensional poverty (MPI) figure for Pakistan (0.198) is worse than for Bangladesh (0.104) and India (0.069). This is primarily due to the education and health deficits in Pakistan. Adults with fewer than 6 years of schooling are considered multidimensionally poor by OPHI/UNDP. Income poverty is not included in the MPI calculations. The data used by OHP/UNDP for MPI calculation is from years 2017/18 for Pakistan and from years 2019/2021 for India.

​

Multidimensional Poverty in South Asia. Source: UNDP

The Indian government's reported multidimensional poverty rate of 25.01% is much higher than the OPHI/UNDP estimate of 16.4%. NITI Ayog report released in November 2021 says: "India’s national MPI identifies 25.01 percent of the population as multidimensionally poor".

​

Multidimensional Poverty in India. Source: NITI Ayog via IIP

Earlier last year, Global Hunger Index 2022 reported that India ranks 107th for hunger among 121 nations. The nation fares worse than all of its South Asian neighbors except for war-torn Afghanistan ranked 109, according to the the report. Sri Lanka ranks 64, Nepal 81, Bangladesh 84 and Pakistan 99. India and Pakistan have levels of hunger that are considered serious. Both have slipped on the hunger charts from 2021 when India was ranked 101 and Pakistan 92. Seventeen countries, including Bosnia, China, Kuwait, Turkey and UAE, are collectively ranked between 1 and 17 for having a score of less than five.
Here's a video of Javed Akhtar's interview with Chetan Bhagat at ABP's "Ideas of India Summit 2023". Please watch from 4:19 to 6:00 minutes.

Javed Akhtar LIVE | Ideas Of India Summit 2023 LIVE | ABP Majha LIVE

#abpमाà¤à¤¾ #abpmajha #maharashtrapoliticalcrisis #supremecourt #shivsenasymbol #thackerayvsshinde #maharashtrapolitics #marathinews #uddhavthackeray #SC Mahar...

www.youtube.com

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

Pakistan Among World's Largest Food Producers
Pakistan Floods 2022
Food in Pakistan 2nd Cheapest in the World

India in Crisis: Unemployment and Hunger Persist After COVID
India Rising, Pakistan Collapsing
Record Number of Indians Seeking Asylum in US

Vast Majority of Pakistanis Support Imran Khan's Handling of Covid19 Crisis

Incomes of Poorest Pakistanis Growing Faster Than Their Richest Counterparts

Pakistanis Consuming More Calories, Fruits & Vegetables Per Capita

How Grim is Pakistan's Social Sector Progress?

Pakistan Fares Marginally Better Than India On Disease Burdens

COVID Lockdown Decimates India's Middle Class

Pakistan Child Health Indicators

Pakistan's Balance of Payments Crisis

How Has India Built Large Forex Reserves Despite Perennial Trade Deficits

Riaz Haq's Youtube Channel

PakAlumni Social Network

WB Poverty Update: India is the Biggest Contributor to Increased Global Poverty in 2023

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to...

www.southasiainvestor.com

A another garbage by https://www.southasiainvestor.com/

The lender on Friday also revealed that poverty in Pakistan shot up to 39.4% as of last fiscal year with 12.5 million more people falling into the trap due to poor economic conditions. About 95 million Pakistanis now live in poverty.

The Washington-based lender unveiled the draft policy notes that it prepared with the help of all stakeholders for the next government.

95m Pakistanis live in poverty: World Bank | The Express Tribune

Urges govt to tax agriculture, real estate, cut wasteful expenditure

tribune.com.pk

It would be preferable to concentrate solely on Pakistan's status as the poorest country in South Asia.... Being the 6 times smaller population, pointing the finger at a 6 times larger country... just seems odd, a most foolish act by the editor.

Poorest Countries in the World 2024

Poorest Countries in the World 2024 | Global Finance Magazine Annual ranking of the world's poorest countries.

www.gfmag.com

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

 

[RiazHaq]

New Delhi: A study by the World Bank has concluded that nearly 80% of people who slipped into poverty in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic hailed from India. Out of 7 crore people globally who became poor that year due to economic losses caused by the pandemic, Indians accounted for 5.6 crore.

Indians Account for 80% of Those Who Became Poor Globally in 2020 Due to COVID-19: World Bank

In its latest report 'Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2022: Correcting the Course', the World Bank flagged concerns over how the lack of official data on poverty from India affects the world in drawing up global poverty estimates.

thewire.in

Globally, extreme poverty levels went up to 9.3% in 2020 compared to 8.4% in 2019, halting the progress made by poverty alleviation programmes worldwide for the first time in decades. In absolute numbers, 7 crore people were additionally pushed into extreme poverty by the end of 2020, increasing the global total of poor to over and above 70 crore.


“The COVID-19 pandemic dealt the biggest setback to global poverty in decades,” the World Bank’s Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2022: Correcting the Course report declared.

Given that India contributes significantly to global poverty levels due to the sheer size of its population, the World Bank flagged that the lack of official data on poverty from India had become a hindrance in drawing up global estimates. Since 2011, the Indian government has stopped publishing data on poverty.

It noted that due to the lack of official data, the World Bank had relied upon the findings of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy’s (CMIE’s) Consumer Pyramids Household Survey (CPHS).

Although the findings by the private data firm are yet to be finalised, the World Bank said it had used it for estimating Indian, regional and global poverty levels due to the want of official data. The CPHS data for 2020 noted that 5.6 crore Indians slipped into poverty in 2020.

The report said the World Bank chose to use CHPS data for India over its own paper – published in April 2022 and estimated that 2.3 crore Indians additionally slipped into poverty in 2020 – because poverty in India was “significantly higher” than its own estimates.

The confusion over the data emerging from India, as enunciated by the World Bank report, has once again brought to the fore collective frustration and concern articulated by economists and statisticians in the country and the world over for some time now over Narendra Modi’s government reluctance to release official data, adversely affecting developmental interventions.

The most recent official data on poverty in India dates back to 2011-12 by the National Sample Survey Office of India.

The World Bank report, however, noted that depending upon the method of estimating the number of poor in India rose anywhere between 2.3 crore and 5.6 crore in 2020. “A national accounts-based projection implies an increase of 23 million, whereas initial estimates using the data described in box O.2 [relating to CMIE data] suggest an increase of 56 million — this latter number is used for the global estimate,” the report stressed.

“Because of India’s size, the lack of recent survey data for the country significantly affects the measurement of global poverty, as was evident in Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020,” the report said.

The World Bank, however, observed that overall poverty in India was on a downward slide – largely due to a reduction in poverty in rural areas – between 2011 and 2020 when the pandemic hit. “Even though overall poverty has declined, it is by less than what earlier estimates used for global poverty measurement would suggest,” the report noted, referring to the 2011-20 period.

 

[epebble]

New Delhi: A study by the World Bank has concluded that nearly 80% of people who slipped into poverty in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic hailed from India. Out of 7 crore people globally who became poor that year due to economic losses caused by the pandemic, Indians accounted for 5.6 crore.

Indians Account for 80% of Those Who Became Poor Globally in 2020 Due to COVID-19: World Bank

In its latest report 'Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2022: Correcting the Course', the World Bank flagged concerns over how the lack of official data on poverty from India affects the world in drawing up global poverty estimates.

thewire.in

Globally, extreme poverty levels went up to 9.3% in 2020 compared to 8.4% in 2019, halting the progress made by poverty alleviation programmes worldwide for the first time in decades. In absolute numbers, 7 crore people were additionally pushed into extreme poverty by the end of 2020, increasing the global total of poor to over and above 70 crore.


“The COVID-19 pandemic dealt the biggest setback to global poverty in decades,” the World Bank’s Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2022: Correcting the Course report declared.

Given that India contributes significantly to global poverty levels due to the sheer size of its population, the World Bank flagged that the lack of official data on poverty from India had become a hindrance in drawing up global estimates. Since 2011, the Indian government has stopped publishing data on poverty.

It noted that due to the lack of official data, the World Bank had relied upon the findings of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy’s (CMIE’s) Consumer Pyramids Household Survey (CPHS).

Although the findings by the private data firm are yet to be finalised, the World Bank said it had used it for estimating Indian, regional and global poverty levels due to the want of official data. The CPHS data for 2020 noted that 5.6 crore Indians slipped into poverty in 2020.

The report said the World Bank chose to use CHPS data for India over its own paper – published in April 2022 and estimated that 2.3 crore Indians additionally slipped into poverty in 2020 – because poverty in India was “significantly higher” than its own estimates.

The confusion over the data emerging from India, as enunciated by the World Bank report, has once again brought to the fore collective frustration and concern articulated by economists and statisticians in the country and the world over for some time now over Narendra Modi’s government reluctance to release official data, adversely affecting developmental interventions.

The most recent official data on poverty in India dates back to 2011-12 by the National Sample Survey Office of India.

The World Bank report, however, noted that depending upon the method of estimating the number of poor in India rose anywhere between 2.3 crore and 5.6 crore in 2020. “A national accounts-based projection implies an increase of 23 million, whereas initial estimates using the data described in box O.2 [relating to CMIE data] suggest an increase of 56 million — this latter number is used for the global estimate,” the report stressed.

“Because of India’s size, the lack of recent survey data for the country significantly affects the measurement of global poverty, as was evident in Poverty and Shared Prosperity 2020,” the report said.

The World Bank, however, observed that overall poverty in India was on a downward slide – largely due to a reduction in poverty in rural areas – between 2011 and 2020 when the pandemic hit. “Even though overall poverty has declined, it is by less than what earlier estimates used for global poverty measurement would suggest,” the report noted, referring to the 2011-20 period.

2020 and 2021 were anomalies. It is better to use data from 2022 and 2023.

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

World Bank Praises Indian Govt For Taking Special Policies For Poor During Pandemic

World Bank President, David Malpass said that, the way India has provided help to the poor and needy people during the covid 19 pandemic crisis is extraordinary, , world bank, government of india, COVID-19 Pandemic

www.businessworld.in

https://twitter.com/x/status/1512083021159038986

'Extreme Poverty Remained Low Due to Food Transfers During COVID': IMF on India

The report adds that after the food subsidies that were provided in the pandemic year 2020, inequality was at 0.294, coming close to its lowest level of 0.284, which was observed in 1993-94.

www.thequint.com

 

[Chandragupt Maurya]

A another garbage by https://www.southasiainvestor.com/

The lender on Friday also revealed that poverty in Pakistan shot up to 39.4% as of last fiscal year with 12.5 million more people falling into the trap due to poor economic conditions. About 95 million Pakistanis now live in poverty.

The Washington-based lender unveiled the draft policy notes that it prepared with the help of all stakeholders for the next government.

95m Pakistanis live in poverty: World Bank | The Express Tribune

Urges govt to tax agriculture, real estate, cut wasteful expenditure

tribune.com.pk

It would be preferable to concentrate solely on Pakistan's status as the poorest country in South Asia.... Being the 6 times smaller population, pointing the finger at a 6 times larger country... just seems odd, a most foolish act by the editor.

View attachment 956426
View attachment 956427
View attachment 956428

Poorest Countries in the World 2024

Poorest Countries in the World 2024 | Global Finance Magazine Annual ranking of the world's poorest countries.

www.gfmag.com

As per the latest data released by the World Bank, Pakistan has a poverty rate of 40%. Could you provide the poverty rates for Indians and Bangladeshis from the same data?

 

[CIA Mole]

this wat happens when u pander to socialist minds

 

[GamoAccu]

 

[K_Bin_W]

WB Poverty Update: India is the Biggest Contributor to Increased Global Poverty in 2023

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to...

www.southasiainvestor.com

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to the World Bank September 2023 Global Poverty Update. It is the same update that made the following recent headline in the Indian and Pakistani media about Pakistan: "Pakistan's 40% Population Lives Below Poverty Line, Says World Bank". Fact: 45.9% of Indians and 39.4% of Pakistanis live below the $3.65 a day poverty line as of September, 2023, according to the the latest World Bank global poverty update that takes into account the impact of inflation on poverty rates. But neither the Pakistani media nor India's compliant "Godi Media" reported it. Nor did they question why poverty in India is growing despite Modi government's claim to be the "the world's fastest growing economy".

​

Global Child Poverty Rate. Source: UNICEF

Another recent report by UNICEF that went unnoticed by the media is that the child poverty rate in India far exceeds the rate in Bangladesh and Pakistan: At $2.15 poverty level, India has 11.5% children under poverty, Pakistan 5.6% and Bangladesh 5.1%. At $3.65 poverty level, India has 49.8% children under poverty, Pakistan 45% and Bangladesh 35.2%.

​

Child Poverty Rate By Year By Region From 2013 to 2022. Source: UNICEF

The UNICEF data shows that South Asia region's child poverty rate at $2.15 for any year since 2013 drops to about a half when India is excluded.
The latest World Bank and UNICEF reports remind me of the famous Indian writer and poet Javed Akhtar who told his audience at a conference in Mumbai earlier this year that he saw "no visible poverty" in Lahore during his multiple visits to Pakistan over the last three decades. Responding to Indian novelist Chetan Bhagat's query about Pakistan's economic crisis at ABP's "Ideas of India Summit 2023" in Mumbai, Akhtar said: "Unlike what you see in Delhi and
Mumbai, I did not see any visible poverty in Lahore". This was Akhtar's first interview upon his return to India after attending "Faiz Festival" in Lahore, Pakistan.

​

Javed Akhtar at ABP Ideas Summit in Mumbai

Chetan Bhagat began by talking about high inflation, low forex reserves and major economic crisis in Pakistan and followed it up by asking Javed Akhtar about its effects he saw on the people in Pakistan. In response, Akhtar said, "Bilkul Nahin (Not at all). In India you see poverty right in front of you, next door to a billionaire. Maybe it is kept back of the beyond. Only some people are allowed to enter certain areas. But you don't see it (poverty) on the streets. In India, it is right in front of you...amiri bhi or gharibi bhi (wealth and poverty). Sare kam apke samne hain (It's all in front of you). Wahan yeh dekhai nahin deta (you don't see it in Pakistan)".

​

Alhamra Arts Center, Lahore, Pakistan

Disappointed by the response, Bhagat suggested that the Indian visitor could have been guided by his hosts through certain routes where he couldn't see any poverty. Javed Akhtar then said "it's not possible to hide poverty. I would have seen at least a "jhalak" (glimpse) of it as I always do in Delhi and Mumbai....I have been to Pakistan many times but I have not seen it".
What Javed Akhtar saw and reported recently is obviously anecdotal evidence. But it is also supported by hard data. Over 75% of the world's poor deprived of basic living standards (nutrition, cooking fuel, sanitation and housing) live in India compared to 4.6% in Bangladesh and 4.1% in Pakistan, according to a recently released OPHI/UNDP report on multidimensional poverty. Here's what the report says: "More than 45.5 million poor people are deprived in only these four indicators (nutrition, cooking fuel, sanitation and housing). Of those people, 34.4 million live in India, 2.1 million in Bangladesh and 1.9 million in Pakistan—making this a predominantly South Asian profile".

​

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2022. Source: OPHI/UNDP

​

Income Poverty in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Source: Our World in Data

The UNDP poverty report shows that the income poverty (people living on $1.90 or less per day) in Pakistan is 3.6% while it is 22.5% in India and 14.3% in Bangladesh. In terms of the population vulnerable to multidimensional poverty, Pakistan (12.9%) does better than Bangladesh (18.2%) and India (18.7%) However, Pakistan fares worse than India and Bangladesh in multiple dimensions of poverty. The headline multidimensional poverty (MPI) figure for Pakistan (0.198) is worse than for Bangladesh (0.104) and India (0.069). This is primarily due to the education and health deficits in Pakistan. Adults with fewer than 6 years of schooling are considered multidimensionally poor by OPHI/UNDP. Income poverty is not included in the MPI calculations. The data used by OHP/UNDP for MPI calculation is from years 2017/18 for Pakistan and from years 2019/2021 for India.

​

Multidimensional Poverty in South Asia. Source: UNDP

The Indian government's reported multidimensional poverty rate of 25.01% is much higher than the OPHI/UNDP estimate of 16.4%. NITI Ayog report released in November 2021 says: "India’s national MPI identifies 25.01 percent of the population as multidimensionally poor".

​

Multidimensional Poverty in India. Source: NITI Ayog via IIP

Earlier last year, Global Hunger Index 2022 reported that India ranks 107th for hunger among 121 nations. The nation fares worse than all of its South Asian neighbors except for war-torn Afghanistan ranked 109, according to the the report. Sri Lanka ranks 64, Nepal 81, Bangladesh 84 and Pakistan 99. India and Pakistan have levels of hunger that are considered serious. Both have slipped on the hunger charts from 2021 when India was ranked 101 and Pakistan 92. Seventeen countries, including Bosnia, China, Kuwait, Turkey and UAE, are collectively ranked between 1 and 17 for having a score of less than five.
Here's a video of Javed Akhtar's interview with Chetan Bhagat at ABP's "Ideas of India Summit 2023". Please watch from 4:19 to 6:00 minutes.

Javed Akhtar LIVE | Ideas Of India Summit 2023 LIVE | ABP Majha LIVE

#abpमाà¤à¤¾ #abpmajha #maharashtrapoliticalcrisis #supremecourt #shivsenasymbol #thackerayvsshinde #maharashtrapolitics #marathinews #uddhavthackeray #SC Mahar...

www.youtube.com

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

Pakistan Among World's Largest Food Producers
Pakistan Floods 2022
Food in Pakistan 2nd Cheapest in the World

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WB Poverty Update: India is the Biggest Contributor to Increased Global Poverty in 2023

At the $3.65 poverty line, India accounts for 40% of the slight upward revision of the global poverty rate from 23.6% to 24.1%, according to...

www.southasiainvestor.com

I know many people who visit India and Pak and say the same thing. Indians should kill javed akhter for speaking facts.

 

[Tak_Aman]

Ok, so India has poor people.
Same as Pakistan, Bangladesh.

They also have a lot of % of poor people.

The above reports doesn't say much. The differences, if any are insignificant. And there are contrary reports about which nation has more poor people.

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What is Pakistan doing about those living in poverty.

India provides free food to 81 crore people (810 million):

Over 80 crore people to get free ration for one year under Food Security Act

At present, the beneficiaries of the NFSA Act pay ₹1-3 per kg. Under the Act, foodgrain is allocated at 5 kg per person per month for the priority households category

www.livemint.com

Pakistan plans to give free food for 10 million (81x less than India):

Ready to kickstart monthly food scheme for 10 million families, Pakistan says

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government is set to launch a ration card scheme that aims to provide free food to 10 million families every month, chairman of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) spearheading the initiative told Arab News in an exclusive interview on Sunday. The USC – a state-owned...

www.arabnews.pk

While our poor people get free food and struggle, Pakistan's poor are enjoying searching for meals:

The difference between India and Pakistan is evident; one provides free ration, while the other struggles

Today's India gives free ration to 800 million people, whereas in Pakistan there is a scuffle over a kilo of flour," said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

www.republicworld.com

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It isn't about which nation has more percentage of poor. These 1-2% differences which you Indians and Pakistanis keep boasting here (citing one or two cherry picked studies) have no significance.

It is about how you are treating these poor people.

The fact that 81x more people in India get free food is a dealbreaker for me. I don't care even if one or two reports claim how India has 1-2% more poor people than Pakistan.

 

[StraightEdge]

What is the fascination with 'poverty' related news in PDF now?

 

[Titanium100]

Finally for a change a true articale based on ground reality