Economy : Human Development

Q 4 / 7

UPSC CSE Prelims 2012

The Multi-dimensional Poverty Index developed by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative with UNDP support covers which of the following?

  1. Deprivation of education, health, assets and services at household level
  2. Purchasing power parity at national level
  3. Extent of budget deficit and GDP growth rate at national level
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

EXPLANATION

The correct option is (a).

Explanation


The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is an international measure of acute multidimensional poverty covering over 100 developing countries. It complements traditional income-based poverty measures by capturing the simultaneous deprivations that each person faces across three dimensions: Health, Education, and Standard of Living.

Statement-wise Analysis:

  • Statement 1 is Correct: The MPI assesses poverty at the individual and household level. It tracks deprivation across three dimensions using ten indicators:
    • Education: Years of schooling and school attendance.
    • Health: Nutrition and child mortality.
    • Standard of Living: Cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, and assets.
  • Statement 2 is Incorrect: Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is a metric used to compare currencies and economic productivity between countries, often associated with income-based poverty lines (e.g., $2.15 a day). The MPI focuses on non-monetary deprivations rather than national-level income or purchasing power aggregates.
  • Statement 3 is Incorrect: Budget deficits and GDP growth rates are macroeconomic indicators used to measure a nation's fiscal health and economic performance. They are not components of the MPI, which is strictly a measure of human deprivation at the micro-level.

Key Takeaway:
The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) measures acute poverty based on household-level deprivations in health, education, and living standards, distinct from income-based or macroeconomic indicators like GDP or PPP.

SOURCEIndian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, Chapter 22: Parliament