A remarkable paper about India has come out today from the IMF. Its findings are mind-blowing. Since this is about India's success, and particularly that of the present dispensation, many are avoiding it altogether.

Here's a thread about the paper and why it's being ignored.

The image below contains certain highlights of the paper. Among them, extreme poverty (PPP$1.9 per person per day) was below 1% in 2019 and 2020 (pandemic year) in India! A low percentage in extreme poverty for 2 consecutive years is considered as elimination of extreme poverty!

To begin with, we have this fantastic achievement of extreme poverty being eliminated. Moreover, it is sustained in the pandemic year! How? Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana- food grains provided to the poor through India's Public Distribution System during the pandemic.

Why is this not the biggest issue being discussed today? Three reasons.

One, the usual suspects can't question the IMF's credibility.

Two, Arvind Virmani, one of the authors of the paper was CEA under economist PM Manmohan Singh. Again, who's credibility will you question?

Three, the Garibi Hatao slogan from the 70s, which has shaped the outcome of so many elections, is slowly and steadily becoming a non-isssue. Of course, there's a long way to go and only extreme poverty has been eliminated. But it's happening nonetheless. And under whom?