Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)

The Multidimensional Poverty Index is a measurement framework that evaluates simultaneous deprivations in health, education, and living standards to capture poverty beyond consumption expenditure thresholds.

Under Social Issues

• It enables targeted policy interventions by identifying specific, overlapping household deprivations rather than relying solely on income metrics.
• National adaptation by NITI Aayog provides a granular, district-level evidence base for administrative resource allocation and governance monitoring.
• It aligns poverty reduction strategies with Sustainable Development Goal 1 by systematically tracking non-income welfare indicators over time.

UPSC frequently frames questions around the conceptual shift from traditional income-based poverty estimation to multidimensional deprivation tracking, requiring comparative analysis of methodological frameworks. Questions often evaluate how National MPI insights can inform targeted welfare delivery and address persistent regional developmental disparities. Candidates are also expected to discuss governance strategies for addressing specific indicator-level deficits like child mortality, cooking fuel, and sanitation.

• Poverty and hunger: issues and management GS2