Multidimensional Poverty in India

• Context (PIB): Findings of NITI Aayog’s ‘Multidimensional Poverty in India since 2005-06’ were recently revealed.

Findings of the Paper

• India has registered a significant decline in Multidimensional Poverty in India (MPI) from 29.17% (2013-14) to 11.28% (2022-23).
• UP registered the largest decline in the number of poor escaping multidimensional poverty during the last nine years followed by Bihar, MP, and Rajasthan.
• The pace of decline in poverty headcount ratio using exponential method was much faster between 2015-16 to 2019-21 compared to period 2005-06 to 2015-16.
• All 12 indicators of MPI have recorded significant improvement.

Multidimensional Poverty Index (Global MPI)

• Global MPI is a measure of multidimensional poverty covering 107 developing countries.
• It was first developed in 2010 by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for UNDP’s Human Development Reports.
• Global MPI uses three dimensions and ten indicators.

National Multidimensional Poverty Index (National MPI)

• It is published by NITI Aayog using the methodology in consonance with the global methodology.
• Like the global MPI, India’s national MPI has three equally weighted dimensions – Health, Education, and Standard of living – represented by twelve indicators.
• The national MPI model retains the ten indicators of the global MPI model.
• It also adds two indicators, viz., Maternal Health and Bank Accounts, in line with national priorities.

  

Initiatives undertaken to reduce Multi-dimensional poverty in India

• Initiatives like Poshan Abhiyan and Anemia Mukt Bharat have significantly enhanced access to healthcare facilities, leading to a substantial decrease in deprivation.
• The Targeted Public Distribution System (National Food Security Act), Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana provides conncessional food grains to rural and urban populations.
• Clean cooking fuel distribution through Ujjwala Yojana.
• Improved electricity coverage via Saubhagya.
• Transformative campaigns like Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and PM Awas Yojana have played pivotal roles in financial inclusion and providing safe housing for the underprivileged.

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