Assam: National Multidimensional Poverty Index shows a drop from 36.97 per cent to 14.47 per cent in last 9 years

Assam has made significant strides in reducing poverty over the last nine years, as evidenced by various reports and data. 

The National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) released by Niti Aayog highlighted a substantial decrease in multidimensional poverty in Assam, from 36.97 per cent in 2013-14 to 14.47 per cent in 2022-2023. 

This translates to approximately 80.36 lakh individuals moving out of multidimensional poverty within five years.

Taking to the X handle Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote, "Assam is experiencing its most prosperous era in modern history. 80 lakh people in the State have escaped poverty under Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji’s government. In last 3 years poverty headcount ratio has come down by 25%. We are currently on a rapid growth trajectory that will see Assam make a significant contribution to nation building by emerging as one the top 5 states in the country."

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Assam's efforts in combating poverty are supported by various initiatives and policies. 

The Assam Orunodoi Scheme, for example, provides financial assistance through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to poor households, with the amount increasing from Rs 830 to Rs 1,250 per month. 

Additionally, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) has been launched in the state to alleviate urban poverty.

The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is a globally recognized comprehensive measure that captures poverty in multiple dimensions beyond monetary aspects. MPI’s global methodology is based on the robust Alkire and Foster (AF) method that identifies people as poor based on a universally acknowledged metric designed to assess acute poverty, providing a complementary perspective to conventional monetary poverty measures.