Human Poverty Index
Also called: HPI · Topic: Human Development: Concept, Approaches and Measurement · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Human Development"
Meaning
The Human Poverty Index (HPI) was a UNDP index used from 1997 to 2009. The HDI measures what a country has achieved. The HPI measured the shortfall instead, meaning how far people fell short of basic human development. Its version for developing countries, HPI-1, looked at the chance of not surviving to age 40, adult illiteracy, lack of safe drinking water and underweight children. In 2010 it was replaced by the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
Example
India now follows the MPI method that replaced the HPI. Under NITI Aayog's National MPI, the share of poor people fell from about 25% (NFHS-4, 2015-16) to about 15% (NFHS-5, 2019-21). Bihar had the highest share and Kerala the lowest.
Don't confuse with
- Multidimensional Poverty Index: the MPI (2010) uses ten weighted indicators in three dimensions. A person counts as poor if deprived in at least one-third of them. The HPI gave only a national figure for overall shortfall.
Related concepts
- Limitations of the HDI
- Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index
- Gender Development Index
- Gender Inequality Index
- Multidimensional Poverty Index
- Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI
- Physical Quality of Life Index