Discussions of rural poverty fail to factor in multi-dimensional changes in the sector in the last five years

Clearly, rural households do not migrate to urban areas for very low paid jobs as survival is possible with improved rural infrastructure, housing, etc in rural areas now more than before.

The last five years have witnessed an unprecedented pace in improving the ease of living of very poor households through public welfare programmes. (File Photo)

Rural poverty in India has been the subject of discussion in recent times. Low increase in prices of agricultural commodities and the slower increase in rural agricultural wages have been seen by some as signs of a crisis for the rural poor. Many acknowledge the role of pro-poor public welfare programmes over the last five years. Others have recorded sharp declines in chronic poverty as also multi-dimensional poverty between 2005-06 to 2015-16. Indicators like nutrition, child mortality, years of schooling, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, and assets determine multi-dimensional poverty. If that is the case, the performance between 2015-16 to now would be even more spectacular, considering the pro-poor public welfare thrust.