India, Jan. 10 -- National Statistical Office rolling outconsumption expenditure sample survey; may note impact of central schemes adding to people's income

India will finally have its official poverty figure in the second half of this year. The National Statistical Office (NSO) is currently rolling out the consumption expenditure sample survey, which is used to measure poverty level. The survey will continue through July 2023 and preliminary results are expected by the end of the year.

Going by the buzz in official corridors in Delhi, "the world would be surprised by the dip in poverty figures." Many experts concur in private that India would have "eradicated" extreme poverty already .

Besides other reasons, most of them point towards...