KATHMANDU: Around 20.27 percent of the population in Nepal is below the poverty line.

According to the Small Area Estimation of Poverty-2023, an assessment of monetary poverty in municipalities and districts, by the National Statistics Office, 18.34 percent of the population in urban areas and 24.66 percent in rural areas are below the poverty line.

The National Statistical Office has released the report on Friday about the status of monetary poverty in Nepal using the cost of basic needs method.

This time, a new poverty line of Rs 72,908 per capita expenditure per year has been determined for poverty measurement. Earlier, in 2066/67 BS, the poverty line was determined at Rs 19,261. According to the new poverty line, people who spend less than Rs 72,908 per capita per year are classified as poor.

By province, the highest poverty rate is 34.16 percent in Sudurpaschim Province while the lowest is 11.88 percent in Gandaki Province. The report shows that the poverty rate is 17.19 percent in Koshi, 22.53 percent in Madhesh, 12.59 percent in Bagmati, 24.34 percent in Lumbini, and 26.69 percent in Karnali Province.

According to the report, when analyzing the local level, the poverty rate of 309 local levels is less than the national average of 20.27 percent, while the poverty rate of 444 local levels is higher than the national average. The poverty rate at the local level ranges from a minimum of 1.18 percent to a maximum of 77.89 percent.

At the municipal level, the highest poverty rate is 77.89 percent in Junichande Rural Municipality of Jajarkot, while the lowest, i.e. 1.18 percent, is in Gharpajhong Rural Municipality of Mustang.

The population below the poverty line is numerically highest in Kathmandu Municipal Corporation (59,218). The poverty rate in Kathmandu is 6.87 percent.

When analyzed at the district level, the highest poverty rate is in Achham district of Sudurpaschim Province at 49.58 percent and the lowest is in Kaski district of Gandaki Province at 5.63 percent.