According to UNICEF, India is making outstanding progress in poverty reduction and is on course to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 1.2 well before the 2030 deadline. Between 2013-14 and 2022-23, almost 248 million Indians fled multidimensional poverty, reducing the national poverty rate from 29.2% to 11.3%. Social security coverage increased from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, benefiting about 940 million persons – a development that has helped elevate vast segments of the population out of poverty.

As a result, more than half of India’s 460 million children now have access to essential services, including education, health, sanitation, water, nutrition, and shelter. The introduction of key programs such as Poshan Abhiyaan, Samagra Shiksha, Mid-Day Meal Scheme, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Jal Jeevan Mission has increased access to nutrition, sanitation, education, and social assistance on a large scale.

According to UNICEF, this development is “pivotal” in reducing child poverty and underlines India’s ability to provide efficient social welfare services. Sustaining and expanding these initiatives could help the country eliminate remaining gaps and ensure that every kid, particularly those from the most vulnerable communities, has access to crucial services.