NITI Aayog, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), convened a one-day National Workshop on “The National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): Strengthening Outreach and National Capacity” on 9 September 2025 in New Delhi. Organized under the NITI–State workshop series as part of the State Support Mission, the event highlighted India’s MPI journey while delving into the technical methodology behind its calculation.
The workshop brought together senior government officials from 30 States and Union Territories, representatives from key ministries, UN agencies, and leading research institutions including the Institute of Economic Growth, IIT Roorkee, NCAER, CEEW, Institute of Human Development, and the Nudge Institute.
The inaugural session, chaired by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman K. Bery, featured addresses from Prof. S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; Dr. V. K. Paul, Member of NITI Aayog; UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp; MoSPI Secretary Dr. Saurabh Garg; Dr. Sabina Alkire, Director of the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative; and Rajib Kumar Sen, Programme Director, NITI Aayog. Speakers emphasized the role of the MPI as a vital instrument for precise poverty reduction, strengthening governance, and advancing progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
A panel discussion explored how states are leveraging data for social protection and poverty alleviation schemes, while also assessing the potential integration of MPI into these programmes. Participants highlighted examples such as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister’s Breakfast Scheme, Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhav Abhiyan, Andhra Pradesh’s Zero Poverty – P4, and Odisha’s Social Protection Delivery Platform. The discussion underlined how real-time data can enhance policy design, delivery, and monitoring.
The workshop also featured a technical session on the methodology of the National MPI, including an analysis of multidimensional poverty through the lens of the “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB) approach. The event concluded with a hands-on exercise where participants engaged with sample datasets in Excel to understand MPI calculation techniques, offering practical insights into the nuances behind the numbers.
