Explain the methods of measuring poverty in India.

Question

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

Poverty in India is measured through consumption-based poverty lines drawn by expert committees using NSSO household surveys, supplemented by NITI Aayog's Multidimensional Poverty Index covering health, education and living standards. The Lakdawala (1993), Tendulkar (2009) and Rangarajan (2014) committees successively moved the poverty line beyond calorie norms.

**Introduction**

Measuring poverty in India is crucial for policy targeting and inclusive growth, with significant declines yet persistent disparities, notably in ==Andhra Pradesh⟦1⟧== where progress has been uneven.

**Institutional Framework**

1. **Expert Committees and Methodologies**: Lakdawala (1993), Tendulkar (2009), and Rangarajan (2014) committees refined poverty lines by incorporating regional price variations, nutritional outcomes, and non-food essentials to better reflect living costs.

2. **Multidimensional Poverty⟦2⟧ Index Adoption**: NITI Aayog’s MPI includes health, education, and living standards, reflecting a holistic poverty view beyond income or consumption alone.

**Implementation Challenges**

3. **Data and Regional Disparities**: NSSO surveys face comparability issues due to differing recall periods and price deflators; urban poverty in ==Andhra Pradesh== sometimes exceeds rural, revealing gaps in measurement and policy reach.

4. **Welfare Scheme Impact and Lapses**: Schemes like MGNREGA and PM Ujjwala Yojana reduce poverty nationally, but Andhra Pradesh faces welfare fund diversion and scheme⟦3⟧ lapses as highlighted by CAG audits, limiting effectiveness.

**Refining Measurement**

5. **Composite Indices and State Customization**: Combining consumption data with multidimensional indicators and tailoring poverty lines to states like ==Andhra Pradesh== improves accuracy and policy responsiveness.

6. **Technology and Data Integration**: Leveraging digital public infrastructure and data convergence can enhance real-time poverty monitoring and adaptive interventions.

**Way Forward**

7. **New Expert Committee and Survey Improvements**: Constitute a committee to revise poverty lines reflecting current consumption patterns, inflation, and regional disparities; standardize NSSO survey recall periods and sampling for better comparability.

8. **Strengthen Welfare Implementation**: Address administrative lapses and fund diversion issues in ==Andhra Pradesh== to maximize poverty alleviation program impact.

**Conclusion**

India’s poverty measurement is advancing towards multidimensional, region-sensitive frameworks that better capture deprivation’s complexity, enabling more effective targeting and improved welfare outcomes.

భారతదేశంలో పేదరికాన్ని కొలిచే పద్ధతులను వివరించండి.

Model answer

ఈ ప్రశ్నను ప్రాక్టీస్ చేయండి

సమ్మిళిత వృద్ధి: భారతదేశం మరియు ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ పథకాలు49 questions

Ghissu