What is MULTIDIMENTIONAL POVERTY INDEX?

• The MPI is the product of two numbers: the Headcount H or percentage of people who are poor and the average intensity of deprivation A – which reflects the proportion of dimensions in which households are, on average deprived.

The criterion for someone to be declared as deprived as per MPI are as follows:

1. Education (year of schooling, child enrollment): Each indicator is equally weighted at 1/6.
2. Health (child mortality, nutrition): Each indicator is equally weighted at 1/6.
3. Standard of living (electricity, drinking water, sanitation, flooring, cooking fuel, assets): Each indicator is equally weighted at 1/18.

• In terms of countries, India accounts for both the highest and a staggering number of multi-dimensionally poor people.
• Sadly, more than 528 million (52.8 crore) Indians are poor, which is more people than all the poor people living in Sub-Saharan Africa combined.

Nearly 31% (217 million) out of the 689 million poor children all over the globe live in India.