Despite best brains, poverty a shame on India: UN

Noting that one-third of the poor people in the world resides in South Asia, a senior UN Millennium Campaign official on Friday said existing poverty is a “shame” on the face of India and efforts should be expedited to erase it.

Addressing a function organised by Amnesty International in New Delhi, UN Millennium Campaign Global Director Sahil Shetty said that if India and South Asia cannot achieve poverty alleviation, it cannot be erased from the earth.

“Poverty is a shame on the face of the country. We have to wipe it out,” Shetty said.

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He said that India has the “best brains and best ideas” to lead the poverty alleviation programmes.

“We believe unless people raise their voice and act then it would be nearly impossible to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals,” he added.