Question

Kerala's poverty level is the lowest in India (Multidimensional Poverty Index = 0.002). Which interpretation aligns BEST with this finding?

• A. Kerala has the highest per capita GSDP among all states
• B. High remittances alone explain the poverty reduction
• C. Strong social provisioning and human development outcomes sustain low poverty
• D. Kerala's fiscal deficit is minimal compared to other states

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Strong social provisioning and human development outcomes sustain low poverty

Kerala's success in poverty reduction and low MPI is widely recognized as a "Kerala Model" of development, which is characterized by the following:

1. Strong Social Provisioning: The state has historically prioritized public investment in essential services.

   • Education: Near-universal literacy and high educational attainment (as seen in the previous question).

   • Health: Comprehensive public healthcare leading to high life expectancy and very low Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).

2. Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): The MPI measures poverty across multiple dimensions, including health (nutrition, child mortality), education (years of schooling, school attendance), and living standards (housing, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, assets). Kerala's decades-long focus on public education and health directly addresses the majority of these indicators, which sustains its low poverty score.