Assam’s Significant Strides in Combating Multidimensional Poverty
Harsh Kumar Jha
The Economic Survey of 2023-24 highlights Assam’s impressive achievements in reducing multidimensional poverty, with about 80.4 lakh individuals rising above the poverty line. The state’s poverty headcount ratio has notably dropped by 14.5% from 36.97% in 2013-14. This aligns with the national trend, where NITI Aayog’s ‘Multidimensional Poverty Index’ shows that 24.82 crore people across India have moved out of poverty over the past nine years.
At this rate, India is on track to meet its Sustainable Development Goal of halving multidimensional poverty ahead of the 2030 deadline. Assam’s rapid progress positions it among the top five fastest-growing states, a feat attributed to a comprehensive framework integrating welfare schemes, healthcare initiatives, and skilling campaigns.
Key to Assam’s success is the ‘Orunodoi scheme,’ launched in August 2020, which provides a minimum guaranteed income to economically marginalized families. Initially set at Rs. 830 monthly, this amount was increased to Rs. 1,250 by October 2022. The scheme, which started with 17 lakh families, expanded to include 27.61 lakh families with its 2.0 version, broadening its scope to include persons with disabilities, transgender individuals, and households with severe health conditions.
Parallel to this, the state’s healthcare programs, such as the ‘Assam Arogya Nidhi’ (AAN) and ‘Sanjeevani – Village Health Outreach Programme,’ have been pivotal. AAN offers financial aid up to Rs. 1,50,000 for the treatment of life-threatening diseases among families below the poverty line, while Sanjeevani delivers integrated health services to remote areas through 80 Mobile Health Units, benefiting over 60 lakh people.
The ‘Chief Minister’s Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan 2023’ initiative further addresses unemployment by empowering youth with skills and financial support for entrepreneurial ventures, with over 2 lakh beneficiaries.
Assam’s multi-pronged approach underscores its potential for sustained socio-economic development, offering a model for other regions facing similar challenges.
For further engagement, Harsh Kumar Jha can be contacted at harshkumarjhaa@gmail.com
Original Story https://nenow.in/north-east-news/assam/assam-makes-significant-strides-in-reducing-multidimensional-poverty.html
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