India touts poverty gains as Mandaviya hits Doha summit
A federal cabinet member will represent the country at an international gathering focused on social progress taking place in Qatar this week. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya heads to Doha for the second World Summit for Social Development running from Tuesday through Thursday, where he will deliver remarks during opening ceremonies and participate in discussions about poverty elimination, employment opportunities and social integration.
Officials say the minister plans to highlight domestic achievements in reducing hardship, noting that 248 million people escaped multidimensional poverty between 2011 and 2023. The proportion of residents below international poverty thresholds dropped to 2.3 percent during the 2022-23 period through food distribution programs, housing initiatives and banking access campaigns. Social security enrollment has expanded from 19 percent coverage a decade ago to 64.3 percent currently, reaching more than 940 million citizens through digital identity and mobile payment systems verified by international labor authorities.
Dr. Mandaviya will conduct separate discussions with government representatives from Qatar, Romania, Mauritius and the European Union alongside meetings with the International Labor Organization director general and United Nations officials. Topics are expected to address worker mobility, skills training and job creation.
