India's multidimensional poverty rate down to 11.28% in 2022-23 from 29.17% in 2013-14

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Last Updated17/01/2024

A recent paper by NITI Aayog reveals a significant improvement in India's multidimensional poverty, projecting a decline from 29.17% in 2013-14 to 11.28% in 2022-23.
Approximately 24.82 crore people are believed to have escaped multidimensional poverty over the last nine years.

The MPI seeks to measure poverty across its multiple dimensions.
- In effect, it complements existing poverty statistics based on per capita consumption expenditure.
Objective: Deconstructing the Global MPI and creating a globally aligned and yet customised India MPI.
- For drawing up comprehensive Reform Action Plans with the larger goal of improving India’s position in the Global MPI rankings.
It measures simultaneous deprivations across three equally weighted dimensions of health, education, and standard of living represented by 12 SDG aligned indicators.
- These include nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, maternal health, years of schooling, school attendance, drinking water, electricity, housing, and assets.
It uses the globally accepted and robust methodology developed by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the UNDP.

States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan witnessed the sharpest decline in the number of people classified as poor.
The severity of deprivation decreased at a slightly lower rate between 2015-16 and 2019-21.
However, the reduction in the share of MPI poor out of the total population was faster after 2015-16.
- This is attributed to a lesser number of years in the latter period.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on poverty may not be fully reflected, as part of NHFS-5 data collected between 2019-21 was before the pandemic.
Despite this, India is expected to achieve SDG Target 1.2, reducing the proportion of people living in poverty.

Indicators related to the standard of living dimension showed the highest levels of deprivation in 2005-06.
Notably, there was a decline in deprivation related to cooking fuel, sanitation facilities, and access to bank accounts.