Multidimensional Poverty Estimates across Ten Socio-Religious Groups in India

Jyoti Das, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Sanjay K Mohanty, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

India’s social structure is deeply intertwined with of caste and religion, significantly shaping the experience of multidimensional deprivation. Highlighting the role of social identity in India, studies have identified the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) as particularly vulnerable across various facets; including education, health, and overall wellbeing. Despite the substantial evidence on caste and religious disparities, there is a gap in understanding the precise distribution of multidimensional poverty across subgroups that combine caste and religion. This study aims to fill that gap by providing a comprehensive analysis of multidimensional poverty across ten socio-religious groups by combining caste/tribe and religion. The study utilized data from fifth round of National Family and Health Survey conducted in 2019-21. The multidimensional poverty estimation was done using Alkirre-Foster Methodology and Global-MPI framework (10 indicators across three dimanesions). The study reveals that every one in three STs Affiliated to Islam were multidimensionally poor; with 10% were vulnerable to become multidimensionally poor (MPI:0.139). Furthermore, regional disparities are highlighted, with particularly high poverty levels observed in the eastern region among specific socio-religious groups. These findings emphasize the need for targeted strategies that address the unique challenges faced by different socio-religious groups to reduce multidimensional poverty effectively.

Keywords: The Demography of Indigenous Populations, Inequality, Disadvantage and Discrimination, Population Policies, Economic Demography

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