India Lifts 24.82 Crore People Out Of Multidimensional Poverty In 9 years: NITI Aayog Report

New Delhi: India has achieved a remarkable feat in reducing multidimensional poverty, which measures the deprivation of people in various aspects of life such as health, education, and living standards. According to a NITI Aayog report, as many as 24.82 crore people in India have moved out of multidimensional poverty in the past nine years, showing the country’s progress towards becoming a developed nation.

Multidimensional poverty declines significantly

The report, titled ‘Multidimensional Poverty in India since 2005-06’, revealed that India has registered a significant decline in multidimensional poverty from 29.17 per cent in 2013-14 to 11.28 per cent in 2022-23 – a reduction of 17.89 percentage points. The report used projected estimates to assess the poverty levels in the year 2013-14 against the current scenario (i.e. for the year 2022-23), due to data limitations for these specific periods.

The report also showed that the pace of decline in poverty headcount ratio using exponential method was much faster between 2015-16 to 2019-21 (10.66 per cent annual rate of decline) compared to period 2005-06 to 2015-16 (7.69 per cent annual rate of decline).

All 12 indicators of MPI (Multidimensional Poverty Index) have recorded significant improvement during the entire study period. The report was released on Monday by Prof Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog in presence of BVR. Subrahmanyam, CEO NITI Aayog. Oxford Policy and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have provided technical inputs for this paper.

India on track to achieve SDG target

As a result of this decline in multidimensional poverty, India is likely to achieve its SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) target of halving multidimensional poverty well before 2030, the report said. The SDGs are a set of 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all by 2030.

Government initiatives credited for poverty reduction

The report attributed the achievement of poverty reduction to the significant initiatives of the government to address all dimensions of the poverty between 2013-14 to 2022-23. Some of the noteworthy initiatives are:

Poshan Abhiyan and Anemia Mukt Bharat, which have significantly enhanced access to healthcare facilities, leading to a substantial decrease in deprivation.

Targeted Public Distribution System under the National Food Security Act, which covers 81.35 crore beneficiaries, providing food grains to rural and urban populations. Recent decisions, such as extending free food grain distribution under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana for another five years, exemplify Government’s commitment.
Various programs addressing maternal health, clean cooking fuel distribution through Ujjwala Yojana, improved electricity coverage via Saubhagya, and transformative campaigns like Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission, which have collectively elevated living conditions and overall well-being of people.
Flagship programs like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana and PM Awas Yojana, which have played pivotal roles in financial inclusion and providing safe housing for the underprivileged.

States show varied performance in poverty reduction

The report also highlighted the varied performance of states in reducing multidimensional poverty. Uttar Pradesh registered the largest decline in the number of poor with 5.94 crore people escaping multidimensional poverty during the last nine years followed by Bihar at 3.77 crore, Madhya Pradesh at 2.30 crore and Rajasthan at 1.87 crore.

Some states which were traditionally having high poverty have made remarkable progress in helping people escape poverty, thus reducing inter-state disparities in multidimensional poverty. With this, the fundamental problems in accessing basic services are getting resolved fast so that the country can look towards becoming a developed nation.