Explained: How NITI Aayog calculates the National Multidimensional Poverty Index

NITI Aayog, the government think tank, on Friday released the National Multidimensional Poverty Index baseline report that defines poverty as the deprivation in crucial and basic parameters of health, education and living standards. The multidimensional poverty index is calculated using 12 indicators that are grouped under three dimensions namely, health, education and standard of living. The report was based on the National Family Health Survey 4, which was conducted between 2015 and 2016, and developed by the NITI Aayog in consultation with 12 ministries and in partnership with state governments and the index publishing agencies, namely, Oxford University’s Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative and United Nations Development Programme. Calculating MPI The multidimensional poverty index is calculated using 12 indicators -- nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, antenatal care, years of schooling, school attendance, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, assets and bank account -- that have been grouped under three dimensions namely, health, education and standard of living.