The Great Indian Poverty Debate — Poverty, Inequality, And The Middle Class

Dear Listeners,

For the longest time, the standard belief has been that industrialisation is the path out of poverty. Yet, India has dramatically reduced extreme poverty to just 1 per cent, while 40 per cent of its people remain employed in agriculture. What explains this divergence?

Contrary to persistent belief that inequality in India is widening, the latest Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) shows that consumption inequality is on a declining trend, especially for the bottom 30-40 per cent of the population. What explains this trend?

Where do the government welfare schemes and freebies fit into all of this? Is India's lower middle class and middle class being left behind? What does it mean to be poor in India in 2025?

Karan Bhasin, lecturer and researcher at the University of Albany, New York, explains this and more in this episode of 'What This Means.'

Watch on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myb8nmVh-QM

Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/2fjoUxv8OxbdUYRaD0lhMt?si=Wih6FfpZSlO7J531JqGVlA

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Diksha Yadav