Poverty as a social phenomenon and a challenge of India’s economic development

The article examines poverty as an Indian social phenomenon that exists alongside India’s emerging economic growth and at the same time is a challenge to its transformation from a developing country to a developed one. The main social categories historically subject to discrimination and poverty are described. It has been established that rural inhabitants make up the largest percentage of the poor population, and the poorest states concentrate almost half of all the poor in the country. The study has revealed that despite certain positive developments in the fight against poverty, the situation of the most vulnerable segments of society and the poorest states is practically unchanged, and this has a detrimental effect on India’s economy.