New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday said that India has seen a major reduction in extreme poverty under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the minister, the extreme poverty rate has come down from 21 per cent to just 5 per cent, and the government remains firmly committed to eradicating poverty completely.

In a video shared on social media platform X, the minister highlighted that 26 crore people have come out of poverty.

“This is not just a government claim, but a finding supported by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and NITI Aayog,” he stated while inaugurating a newly-built silo warehouse in Khagaria district of Bihar.

The minister recalled how past leaders raised slogans to end poverty, but those efforts remained unfulfilled.

“Slogans to eradicate poverty were first raised by Jawaharlal Nehru, followed by Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and later Rahul Gandhi. Unfortunately, they remained mere slogans with no significant results during their tenures,” the Union Minister stated.

He expressed pride in the current government’s achievements, especially in supporting the poor through welfare schemes.

“Today, I can proudly say that under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the extreme poverty rate has declined from 21 per cent to just 5 per cent,” he noted.

He mentioned that over 80 crore people are getting free ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), which is more than the population of the European Union.

The minister also spoke about the launch of the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which helps people generate electricity at home and sell extra power to the government.

“The scheme provides subsidies of up to Rs 78,000 to make solar energy more affordable,” the Union Minister added.

In addition, he praised the PM-KUSUM scheme, which allows farmers to use solar power to irrigate their fields during the daytime, helping improve lives in rural areas.

The minister said this modern storage facility will reduce post-harvest losses, improve grain storage, and boost the agriculture supply chain.

He added that the project is part of the Prime Minister’s vision to modernise India’s farm sector and double farmers’ income.

–IANS

pk/na