The success of Assam as well as the Central Government in ensuring an all-round reduction in poverty or what the Niti Aayog report says multidimension poverty is a shot in the arm for the pro-poor policies of the Centre as well as the State Government in Dispur. The report has relied on a broad set of parameters or fronts and not solely on income or monetary measures as had been the case hitherto. Three major dimensions that the report has taken into consideration are health, education, and living standards.
The numbers are not only impressive but startling too. A cursory glance at some of the indicators in districts of Assam prove beyond doubt that, at the ground, policy actions are working on multiple fronts.
While India registered a decline of 9.89% in number of poor from 24.85% in 2015-2016 to 14.96% in 2019-2021, Assam registered a decline of 13.30% in the same period from 32.65% in 2015-16 to 19.35% in 2019-2021. Yes, the number of poor in terms of percentage in Assam is higher than the national average, but the satisfaction lies in the steep fall that the State has been able to witness. Figuratively speaking, 46,87,451 people moved out of multidimensional poverty in the State in the period in question. Assam average is way above its neighbouring States of the North East, and many other States of the country.
The report stated that the rural areas of the State witnessed a remarkable decline in poverty from 36.14% to 21.41% while in the urban area it declined from 9.94% to 6.88%. Since more than 80% of Assam’s population live in the rural areas, the all-round improvement needs to be celebrated. Districts in southern and western Assam, which are predominantly rural, have scored highly on all broad parameters. The Assam indicators also reflect an even distribution of resources and efforts.
