One-tenth of India's population escaped poverty in 5 years - government report

FILE PHOTO: Residents walk in an alley in Dharavi, one of Asia's largest slums, in Mumbai March 12, 2015. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Nearly 135 million people, around 10% of India's population, escaped poverty in the five years to March 2021, a government report found on Monday.

Rural areas saw the strongest fall in poverty, according to the study, which used the United Nations' Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), based on 12 indicators such as malnutrition, education and sanitation. If people are deprived in three or more areas, they are identified as "MPI poor."