PM Modi cities World Bank report to highlight ‘historic’ fall in India’s extreme poverty

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has applauded a World Bank report that said that India has recorded one of the fastest poverty declines in the world.

In a post on Instagram featuring the inspiring and energetic song ‘Thaan Liya’ from the Bollywood movie ‘Dasvi’ as background music, Mr. Modi highlighted that the “historic” drop in poverty represents a generational surge in opportunities.

The Prime Minister also taunted the Congress over its decades-old ‘Garibi Hatao’ campaign, asserting that eradicating poverty was never just a slogan for his government, but a steadfast commitment.

“India has recorded one of the fastest poverty declines in the world. This is what the World Bank is saying,” he noted.

Citing the World Bank, Mr. Modi pointed out that 49.6 crore people moved out of poverty between 2011 and 2023, causing the extreme poverty rate to plummet by 90 per cent – from more than one in four Indians to roughly one in 38.

“Employment grew by 13.4 crore in just six years. That is nearly twice the increase in India’s working-age population,” he added.

The Prime Minister emphasised that inequality has fallen sharply, with India’s Gini Index — the primary metric used to measure economic inequality — dropping by over 20% to reach 23.0.

According to the World Bank report, titled ‘India Poverty and Equity Brief: October 2026’, India’s extreme poverty rate dropped from 27.1% in 2011 to 2.6% in 2023.

These estimates are based on the lower-middle-income poverty threshold of $4.20 per day and an extreme poverty line of $3 per day, measured at 2021 purchasing power parity (PPP).

The report underscored that India has made significant strides in reducing poverty across both monetary and non-monetary metrics over the past decade.

The underlying track ‘Thaan Liya’ — sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Tanishkaa Sanghvi — serves as a powerful anthem of self-belief, perseverance and determination.

In the 2022 film ‘Dasvi’ (10th), starring Abhishek Bachchan and Yami Gautam, the song accompanies the journey of an incarcerated politician who decides to pursue and pass his high school board exams.

The track conveys an uplifting message: Regardless of the obstacles, anyone can overcome adversity and realise their dreams through dedication and hard work.