India tops the list of global poor: UN report

New Delhi, Jul 17: India tops the list of countries with the largest share of global extreme poor though the poverty rate in southeast Asia as a whole saw a substantial fall from 1990 to 2010, a new United Nations report said.

The poverty rate in southeast Asia fell from 45 per cent in 1990 to 14 per cent in 2010. Although poverty remains widespread in south Asia, progress in the region has been substantial, the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) Report 2014 said.

However, India had the largest share of global poor at 32.9 percent, more than countries like China, Nigeria and Bangladesh, the report, which was released in New Delhi on Wednesday, said.

India also had the highest child mortality rate worldwide in 2012 with 1.4 million children dying before reaching their fifth birthday, the report added.

In 2012, south Asia accounted for 2.1 million of the 6.6 million global deaths in children under the age of five, the report which tracks progress in achieving the Millenium Development Goals said.

The eight MDGs, with a number of sub-targets covering a range of poverty, hunger, health, gender equality, education and environmental indicators, were consented by all countries as an outgrowth of the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, most of them having a due date in the year 2015.

"India's role in global development is the most important in the world. The MDGs can't be reached globally if they are not reached here," Lise Grande, United Nations Resident Coordinator for India, said while releasing the report.

"The new post 2015 framework cannot succeed if it does not reflect the aspirations, and does not have the commitment and support of India," she said.

"India's commitment to reach the MDGs has been an inspiration to countries around the world; its leadership now in defining the new framework has never been more important," she added.

The report said that the region of south Asia has made great progress on the MDGs, but requires greater efforts to achieve most targets by the end of 2015.

In south Asia, the adjusted net enrolment rate of children of primary school age increased from 80 per cent in 2000 to 94 per cent in 2012.

However, gender parity in the region is yet to be achieved in Afghanistan and Pakistan - where there are at most nine girls for every ten boys enrolled - and Bangladesh and Nepal - where girls are favored.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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