India

India captured global attention because of its phenomenal macroeconomic growth in the last two decades, and today India ranks among the top 10 countries of the world in terms of its gross domestic product (GDP), according to World Bank statistics. However, human well-being in India has not progressed at the pace of the macroeconomic growth in the country, which is reflected by its dismal United Nations (UN) Human Development Index (HDI) rank of 136 among 186 countries, based on life expectancy, education, and income indices. Poverty continues to be one of the most challenging hurdles for human development in India. It is the second-largest country in terms of human population, and poverty in India has implications for global human development.

Traditional indicators of income poverty appear ...