32 percent Indians suffer acute poverty

The poor sustenance levels were due to lack of income and adequate employment opportunities, the minister in a statement in the Rajya Sabha.

He said the ministries of rural development, housing and urban poverty, health and family welfare and human resource development were implementing a number of programmes to battle poverty.

"All policy initiatives of the government which have led to higher GDP growth have individually and collectively contributed to raising the living standards of people over time and to the decline of absolute poverty and destitution," the minister said.

"Over the years, the sharp edges of acute poverty have been stunted as a result of various programmes and policies of the government (and) there has been a reduction in the percentage of people living below poverty," he added.