India has reduced its Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) by almost half between 2005-06 and 2015-16, according to MPI 2018 released by the the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

MPI is an index that looks beyond income poverty, and takes into account acute shortage in health, education as well as living standards. The MPI index was reduced from 54.7 percent to 27.5 percent, the Indian Express reported.

There are 271 million lesser poor people in India, the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative noted. However, though the country had been successful in reducing the poverty index, 364 millions continue to experience acute deprivations in health, nutrition, schooling and sanitation.

Photo: A slum in New Delhi/Indiatimes

The report has revealed that traditionally disadvantaged groups, in terms of caste, religions continue to hang at the most bottom rung of the ladder, though the same group has shown a major reduction in the MPI.

Country Director of UNDP, Francine Pickup said, "The MPI demonstrates the tremendous strides India has made, and continues to make, in reducing poverty. It is especially encouraging that traditionally disadvantaged groups are catching up the fastest. Not only is this in line with the core philosophy of the Sustainable Development Goals to reach the farthest first, it is also reflected in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development pledge of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”, the Indian Express reported.

However, former finance minister, P.Chidambaram who is also a Congress leader noted that most of the time period mentioned in the report comes under the UPA government with only the last two years coming under the NDA government.

For the BJP government, its bloggers and bhakths every problem is a 'legacy' issue. Wish to remind them that lifting 27.1 crore people out of poverty is also a 'legacy' issue. — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 21, 2018

Photo: Indiatimes

The multidimensional index measures multiple deprivations in education, health and living standards in the same household. Ten indicators were mainly taken into account for this report which include, nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, school attendance, sanitation, cooking fuel, drinking water, electricity, housing and assets.

Out of the total number of poor people residing in India, 196 million poor people live in the four states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Delhi, Kerala and Goa have the lowest number of poor people.