India's Seven-Decade Struggle Against Multidimensional Poverty
Since gaining independence, India has been addressing the complex challenge of poverty within its rapidly growing population.
Jamie Bailey
- 2024-01-12
- Updated 01:36 AM ET
(NewsNibs) - India's battle against poverty has been ongoing since the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, highlighted the necessity of national development within a democratic context. As the Indian Constitution came into effect 75 years ago, setting the foundation for the newly independent nation, it faced the daunting task of uplifting a population of 359 million from poverty. India's journey post-independence, beginning in 1947, involved grappling with inherited socioeconomic issues that contributed to widespread, multidimensional poverty. Successive leaders continued to emphasize social equity and justice, with Prime Minister Deve Gowda, in 1997, speaking about equitable development and social justice on the 50th anniversary of the nation's independence.
The Multidimensional Poverty Index and India's Progress
Prime Minister Vajpayee, in 2004, recognized poverty's multifaceted impact, which extends beyond monetary constraints to affect education, health, and living conditions. This acknowledgement came in advance of the creation of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) by the United Nations Development Programme with the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative. MPI provides a comprehensive measure that accounts for health, education, and living standards, including specific factors like nutrition, child mortality, and access to clean water and sanitation. India's MPI, released by NITI Aayog, noted significant strides, with the National MPI Progress Review 2023 indicating that from 2015-16 to 2019-2021, about 13 crore individuals emerged from multidimensional poverty. Comparisons between different phases of the National Family and Health Survey have demonstrated improvements in critical areas such as nutrition, child mortality rates, schooling, sanitation, drinking water availability, and electricity access.
Ongoing Concerns and Future Directions
Despite these advancements, there remain concerns over the breadth of poverty monitoring and the intervals between data collection cycles. Experts suggest complementing the MPI framework with expenditure-based measurements to more accurately understand poverty. There is a recognized need for focused social protection schemes that build resilience without fostering dependency. Concurrently, India is navigating challenges posed by the need for digital financial inclusion, evolving employment trends, and climate change, issues that have a disproportionate impact on the impoverished segments of society. The overarching aim remains to uphold the founding principles of social justice and equality while combating poverty and inequality.
In summation, India's commitment to resolving the issue of poverty remains steadfast after 75 years of independence. As the nation evolves and adapts its strategies amidst a dynamic global landscape, ensuring the welfare of its entire population continues to be a cornerstone of its democratic ethos. Moving forward, the integration of refined poverty metrics and targeted support systems will be crucial in India's ambition to eradicate poverty in all its forms.
