Garibi hatao’ redux

Garibi hatao’ redux

News:

1. An  update of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), bought out by UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative recently has given poverty estimates about India.

Important Facts:

2. Report named “The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index Report: The Most Detailed Picture to Date of the World’s Poorest People” presents the global MPI 2018, to better align the global MPI with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

3.Findings of the report:

• India has reduced its Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) by almost half from 55 per cent to 28%  between 2005-06 and 2015-16.
• Around 271 million people have been taken out of poverty in a decade.
• Despite reduction in the poverty index, 364 millions continue to experience acute deprivations in health, nutrition, schooling and sanitation.
• 19% of the population is still vulnerable to multidimensional poverty and about 9% to severe MDP.
• 196 million poor people live in the four states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Delhi, Kerala and Goa have the lowest number of poor people.
• Traditionally disadvantaged groups, in terms of caste, religions continue to hang at the most bottom rung of the ladder, though the same group has shown a major reduction in the MPI.

4. About Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

• The multidimensional index measures multiple deprivations in education, health and living standards in the same household.
• Ten indicators were mainly taken into account for this report which include, nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, school attendance, sanitation, cooking fuel, drinking water, electricity, housing and assets.

5. Tackling poverty

• The welfare commitment of the Centre and States should focus on outcomes.
• The advantages of digitisation, must be stepped up along with focus on improving household incomes.
• Employment generation by teaching individuals the right skills (both technical skills and soft skills) required in a modern workplace.