NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday criticised the Modi government for its handling of poverty and inequality data, accusing it of “spinning” World Bank data to claim that India is one of the most equal societies in the world.
In a statement, Ramesh highlighted key concerns raised by the World Bank’s Poverty and Equity Brief for India, released in April 2025.
Ramesh pointed out that the report indicates high wage disparity in India, with the median earnings of the top 10 percent being 13 times higher than the bottom 10 percent in 2023-24.
He also noted that the poverty rate in India is significantly higher at 28.1 percent when measured at $3.65/day, the appropriate rate for lower-middle-income countries.
“A country with a poverty rate of 28.1 percent cannot justifiably claim to be one of the most equal societies in the world,” Ramesh said.
He also emphasised the need for policymakers to address poverty and inequality, citing the importance of social welfare systems like MGNREGA and the National Food Security Act.
Ramesh also raised concerns about data quality, consistency, and integrity, accusing the government of “blatant data doctoring and manipulation” when economic realities contradicted its claims.
He called for the government to set an updated poverty line for the country and prioritise data transparency.
Ramesh outlined several policy recommendations, including increasing MGNREGA wages, conducting the decadal Population Census, and expanding the ambit of the National Food Security Act.
He underlined the need for tax reforms to mitigate the regressive impacts of GST and provide income support for families.
Agencies