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Comment by rishav_sharan | Hacker News Reader

While my country has made tremendous progress, I wonder how precise these numbers are.

India's poverty line doesn't gets redrawn every year to account for the inflation and increased cost of living.

The current definition of the poverty line is daily earnings 27 rs for rural areas and 33 for urban, which is a ludicrously low number. Even beggars earn more than that. Of course we will have very low poverty if we use stupid ways to measure it.

https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/paper3/poverty-esti...

Added to this is the shenanigans that our politicians play, where they may just lower the poverty line to declare a victory over it

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-13450959

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The report does not use any numbers your provided. They use Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). From the report:

  The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is a key international resource that measures acute multidimensional poverty across more than 100 developing countries. First launched in 2010 by the oxford Poverty and Human development Initiative at the university of oxford and the Human development report office of the united nations development Programme, the global MPI advances Sustainable development Goal 1, holding the world accountable to its resolution to end poverty in all its forms everywhere.

Thank you for correcting me there.

I appreciate the humility, but would suggest updating your original comment to reflect this, since it is one of the top comments on the page. If the edit button is not there, you can reach out to dang via email.

It is hilariously unique indian mentality. Jumping on any positive news about the country to correct why it cant be. It always starts with "believe me im indian". A glance over the report could have prevented it.

It uses Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) not something you are referring to.

Nothing unique about it. Lots of countries have this stereotype about themselves that "we're a people that likes to complain about our government even when things are going well", but it's a natural thing to do.

To put things in perspective, I have 40 Rs in my wallet now, and I can't buy anything with it. It's less than a dollar, and it feels like less than a dollar.

Edit: to put things in perspective, I'm a tourist

Bro . what are you talking about . I live in BTM, Bangalore and I can get a nice masala dosa for 30rs where I live . or I can get 8 idlies . enough to last me the whole day if I really needed it to . 40rs can get you a lot if you know where to look .

You can get bhel puri and vada pav for that much in most parts of India. :D

Bruh, you can visit any temple and get free food/water and you can still save 40Rs. ( To put things in perspective, I'm a resident who often visit temple for free food. No offence)

Huh you can easily get breakfast for 40 Rs. Even in Bangalore.

Depends if you plan to order takeout from an acceptable place or just “get something” like others seem to be suggesting.

And, yes, it does feel less than a dollar if you choose the acceptable option.

thats enough for a 1 time meal of chhole bhature

The report does not use Indias poverty level indicators.

rishav might be a bit disappointed that at the end it was capitalistic policies which did the job :)

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