India Eliminates Extreme Poverty with Rural Rate at 2.5% and Urban at 1%, But Higher Poverty Line Needed

India has officially eliminated "extreme poverty" with rural poverty at 2.5% and urban poverty at 1%, as per a Brookings report based on government data.

The data shows high economic growth of 2.9% per annum in real per capita consumption since 2011-12 and a large decline in inequality.

The report highlights the need for India to move to a higher poverty line as not much further decline is possible at the current low line.

Supporting data from other sources also points to an Indian poverty rate of around 2-5%, with robust rural consumption expenditure.

The recently released household consumption data shows a 164% rise in monthly rural spending per capita and 146% rise in urban spending since 2011-12.