Multidimensional poverty, going beyond the income criteria, measures poverty deprivation in three key areas – living standards, education and healthcare, that a poor person simultaneously faces. Recently, the NITI Aayog has released the ‘National Multidimensional Poverty Index: Baseline Report and Dashboard’.
The Multi-dimensionality Poverty Index (MPI) serves as a better model than income criteria to identify poor persons due to the following reasons:

• Multidimensional approach: The MPI takes advantage of the availability of multipurpose household surveys, which allow data on different dimensions to be drawn from the same survey. They identify the people who experience overlapping deprivations.
• Better comparison: The MPI can show the prevalence of multidimensional poverty across different regions, ethnic groups or any other population sub-group.

In this context, the following steps have been taken to help reduce multidimensional poverty in India:

• Child mortality:
  • Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakaram (JSSK) have been launched to promote institutional deliveries through cash incentives.
  • India Newborn Action Plan (INAP) was launched in 2014 to ensure attainment of the goals of “Single Digit Neonatal Mortality Rate” and “Single Digit Stillbirth Rate,” by 2030.
  • The Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health programme (RMNCH+A) encompasses all interventions aimed at reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health under a broad umbrella.
  • Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) was launched to provide vaccination to children against life threatening diseases. Similarly, “Mission Indradhanush and Intensified Mission Indradhanush” have been launched to immunize children who are either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
  • Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) provides fixed-day assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care universally to all pregnant women.
  • Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) provides comprehensive care to all the children in the age group of 0-18 years in the community.
• Nutrition:
  • Various schemes like the National Nutrition Mission, PM- POSHAN (Mid Day Meal) scheme etc. have been launched with the aim of tackling the malnutrition problem prevalent in India.
  • Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) have been set up at public health facilities to treat and manage the children with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM).
  • Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation for prevention of anaemia among the vulnerable age groups and home visits by ASHAs to promote exclusive breastfeeding.
  • Health and nutrition education through Information, Education & Communication (IEC) and Behavior Change Communication (BCC) is being carried out.
• Education:
  • Various schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mahila Samakhya Programme, Scheme of Vocational Education, scholarships schemes for vulnerable sections, various fellowships etc. are being provided.
  • The New Education Policy 2020 has been launched to ensure ‘universal access at all levels of school education’.
• Living Standards:
  • Swachha Bharat Abhiyan aims to ensure cleanliness and sanitation.
  • Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is aimed at providing housing for all.
  • Swajal Sheme has been launched to provide clean drinking water.
  • PM Ujjawala Yojana has been launched to provide clean cooking fuel.
  • Under Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojna (SAUBHAGYA), electricity connections were started for BPL families for free and other families at concessional rates.

Apart from the above mentioned initiatives, the government should focus on accelerating economic growth, agricultural growth, human resource development and infrastructure development, implementation of Universal Basic Income, capacity development of government officials etc., which will help India achieve its Sustainable Development Goal 1 i.e. end poverty in all its forms everywhere.