India has once again failed to meet the deadline for eradicating extreme poverty.
Its record remains worse than that of an overwhelming majority of Asian countries. However, India has registered a fall in overall poverty levels which have declined from 49 per cent in 1994 to 42 per cent in 2005 and to 33 per cent in 2010, according to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2013 launched by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Geneva. The report adds that if this trend continues, India would be able to meet the poverty reduction target by 2015.
The eight MGDs include poverty, gender equality, hunger, health, education and environment.
India continues to lag behind in eradicating undernourishment. While the proportion of undernourished people has decreased from 26.8 per cent to 11.5 per cent in southern Asia in the last decade, it is insufficient to meet the MDG target.
The figures for maternal mortality remain grim with Southern Asia (read India) continuing to record the second highest maternal mortality ratio in the world with 220 deaths per one lakh live births in 2011. The number of underweight children in South Asia in 2011 remains the highest in the world, with 57 million children being underweight. East Asian nations has reduced mortality rates for kids under five from 48 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 15 in 2011.
Sanitation remains another major source of concern. Percentages have increased from 24 to 41 per cent between 1990-2011 but are nowhere near achievements of eastern Asia where sanitation numbers have gone up to between 67-71 per cent.
Asia has made impressive strides in expanding access to primary education. South Asia, including India, has seen primary school enrolment increased from 78 to 93 per cent between 2000-2011.