Niti Aayog acknowledges Telangana’s efforts to alleviate multidimensional poverty

Telangana has emerged a frontrunner in the multidimensional poverty index (MPI), witnessing a steep decline from 13.18 percentage points in 2015-16 to 3.76 percentage points in 2022-23

Hyderabad: Telangana has emerged a frontrunner in the multidimensional poverty index (MPI), witnessing a steep decline from 13.18 percentage points in 2015-16 to 3.76 percentage points in 2022-23. In Telangana, over 17.67 lakh out of nearly 4.7 crore population are estimated to be multidimensionally poor.

During the corresponding period, India recorded an estimated absolute change in the headcount ratio of 17.89 percentage points, which is equivalent to approximately 24.82 crore individuals escaping multidimensional poverty. The country’s MPI ratio declined from 24.85 per cent in 2015-16 to 11.28 per cent in 2022-23. As per the trend, India is much ahead of the target of reducing poverty in all its dimensions by half, by the year 2030.

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According to a discussion paper ‘Multidimensional Poverty in India since 2005-06’ published by NITI Aayog, Telangana had 13.18 per cent acutely poor people, in 2015-16 immediately after Andhra Pradesh was divided. The residual State of Andhra Pradesh had 11.77 per cent poor people in 2015-16. The projected data shows a role reversal with Telangana expected to have only 3.76 per cent poor, while the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh will have 4.19 per cent poor.

With a lowest score of 0.37 percentage points, Goa secured top spot among States followed by Kerala with 0.48 percentage points. Tamil Nadu scored 1.43 percentage points, followed by Sikkim with 2.10 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir with 2.81 per cent and Delhi with 2.97 per cent.

Telangana secured the seventh position, one rank higher than 2019-21 where it was ranked eighth with 5.88 per cent, as per the National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) – A Progress Review 2023 released by the NITI Aayog earlier in July last year. Among Southern States, Telangana ranks third behind Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

The fastest reduction in the proportion of multidimensional poor was observed in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan between 2013-14 and 2022-23. Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, remain the top five poor States with the highest number of poor people.