India eliminates extreme poverty, credits government policies for success

India has officially eliminated extreme poverty, with a sharp decline in headcount poverty ratio and a 2.9% real per capita consumption growth since 2011-12. Rural growth at 3.1% outpaced urban growth at 2.6%. The report credits the government's strong policy thrust on redistribution and publicly funded programs for inclusive growth. The data also show a significant decline in both urban and rural inequality. The milestone has positive implications for global poverty headcount rates.