Poverty Decline in India: Economic Growth and Social Safety Nets in a Changing Society

A research paper by NCAER reports a significant decline in poverty in India from 21.2% in 2011-12 to 8.5% in 2022-24, despite pandemic challenges. The report highlights the necessity for adaptive social safety programs as dynamic economic growth alters the landscape of poverty determinants.

A recent study by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) reveals that poverty in India plummeted from 21.2% in 2011-12 to an estimated 8.5% in 2022-24, in spite of the pandemic.

Authored by Sonalde Desai, the paper titled 'Rethinking Social Safety Nets in a Changing Society,' utilized data from the India Human Development Survey's Waves 1, 2, and the new Wave 3.

The paper emphasizes that the decline in poverty demands adaptable social protection schemes, as economic growth transforms poverty determinants from chronic to more transient states associated with life events.