Intervention does push deprivation levels down

Source: The post is based on the article “Intervention does push deprivation levels down” published in Live mint on 19th July 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- poverty and developmental issues & GS 3- growth development and employment.

News: This article discusses a Niti Aayog report which highlights a decline in ‘multidimensional poverty’ in India from 2015-16 to 2019-21. It mentions the government’s significant efforts in improving sanitation, cooking fuel access, and housing, while also pointing out some challenges faced by these welfare programs.

About major outcomes of the Niti Aayog report

Drop in Poverty: ‘Multidimensional poverty’ in India reduced to 15% in 2019-21 from 25% in 2015-16.

Health Metrics: Modest gains in nutrition, maternal health, and child mortality; notable inadequacies in nutrition.

Sanitation Progress: In 2015-16, 52% of people lacked sanitation; by 2019-21, this decreased to just over 30%.

Cooking Fuel Improvement: Access to cooking fuel saw an enhancement, with deprivation dropping by 15 percentage points.

Welfare Indicators: The report focused on dimensions like health, education, and standard of living rather than just monetary measures.

How has the Indian government approached welfare?

Priority on Welfare: The Modi administration emphasized welfare, indicating no reduction in favor of market solutions.

Major Initiatives: The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched aiming to end open defecation in India, with a focus on toilet construction.

Hygiene Promotion: The mission took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s advice on hygiene.

Sanitation Improvements: In 2015-16, 52% lacked sanitation, reduced to just over 30% in 2019-21.

Cooking Fuel Access: Cooking fuel deprivation decreased by nearly 15 percentage points, with efforts like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana enrolling 96 million kitchens by 2022.

Stretch Targets: By setting ambitious goals, public projects, like the Swachh Bharat Mission, gained urgency.

Regular Updates: Ministries, like Jal Shakti, offered updates on village progress in sanitation and waste disposal.

What are concerns in the government welfare programs?

Housing Progress: Only a minor improvement in housing with deprivation decreasing by just over 4% in five years.

PM Awas Yojana Issues: Despite being prioritized, there are tales of poor cost forecasts and overruns.

Local Corruption: The Awas Yojana has faced risks of local corruption.

Loan Defaults: Even if default rates aren’t alarming in the Awas Yojana, it doesn’t guarantee the program’s success.