Decline in poverty due to market-based growth

qjec.2006.121.2.351 (application/pdf Object)
The evolution of poverty in South Asia is similar
to that in East Asia: the poverty rate fell from 30 percent in
1970 to 2.5 percent in 2000. The poverty head count fell by 178 million people, from 211 million poor in 1970 to 33 million in 2000. This success was achieved primarily over the last two decades. Most of the decline in the poverty head count (178 million), can be attributed to the success of the post-1980 Indian economy (between 1970 and 1980, the total number of poor Indians actually increased by 15 million).