Total Muslim population in India is about 20 crore and 7 crore of them are living Below Poverty Line, said the Union Government in a response to the question asked by Rajya Sabha MP Mohd. Adeeb. Rajeev Shukla on behalf of the Government of India said the information furnished by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) suggests that 36.2 per cent of total Muslims belonging to the villages are living Below Poverty Line while 33.9 per cent of urban Muslims are surviving under the same category.
Meanwhile, the Government said the situation of minorities in India has been improved while compared with previous years. But Muslims are continuing to be backward in the villages. They are far behind other minorities like the Sikhs and the Christians.