Full formGovernment & Exams
PDIstands forPoverty and Deprivation Index
Full Form of PDI
What is PDI?
The Poverty and Deprivation Index (PDI) is a composite metric used by Indian government agencies, particularly NITI Aayog and state planning boards, to measure multidimensional poverty beyond income levels. It captures deprivations in health, education, and living standards—similar to the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) but tailored to Indian states and districts. The PDI is generated from National Sample Survey (NSS) and National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, scoring households on 12 indicators such as nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, and assets. It plays a critical role in targeting welfare schemes like PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and Poshan Abhiyaan by identifying the most deprived pockets. The PDI is widely referenced in Economic Surveys, state-level human development reports, and policy evaluations. For competitive exams like UPSC, State PCS, and UGC NET, the PDI is a key concept in the governance and social development syllabus, often asked in the context of poverty alleviation strategies.
PDI का फुल फॉर्म
गरीबी एवं अभाव सूचकांक
Example
The latest PDI data reveals that nearly 25% of households in rural Bihar face acute deprivation in sanitation and cooking fuel access.
PDI — frequently asked questions
What is the full form of PDI?
The full form of PDI is Poverty and Deprivation Index, a multidimensional metric used to assess poverty beyond income.
How is PDI different from the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)?
While both measure poverty across health, education, and living standards, the PDI is India-specific and uses indicators tailored to national surveys like NSS and NFHS, whereas MPI is a global index by UNDP.
Why is PDI important for Indian government policies?
The PDI helps identify the most deprived districts and communities, enabling targeted allocation of funds under schemes like PM Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, and Poshan Abhiyaan.