Editorial Progress Redefined India's Equality Triumph

THE latest World Bank report revealing India as the fourth most equal country in the world, with a Gini Index of 25.3, is a landmark achievement that challenges prevailing narratives about wealth concentration and inequality in the nation. This accomplishment places India notably ahead of major economies like China (35.7) and the United States (41.8). For a country of India's size and diversity, this progress is nothing short of extraordinary.

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The Gini Index, which measures income, wealth, or consumption distribution, ranges from 0 (perfect equality) to 100 (absolute inequality). India's low score signifies a more equitable distribution of resources, a feat achieved despite the global perception of wealth being cornered by a few industrial giants. This data contradicts the notion that the Modi government's policies disproportionately favour the wealthy like Adanis and Ambanis. Instead, it highlights the success of targeted welfare initiatives such as PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), which have directly uplifted millions from poverty. Over the past decade, 171 million Indians have escaped extreme poverty, with the share of people living below the