Global Multidimensional Poverty Index 2025

Source: DTE

Why in News? 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), has published its 2025 Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) under the title "Overlapping Hardships: Poverty and Climate Hazards." 

• For the first time, it overlays climate hazard data with multidimensional poverty to assess poor people’s exposure to climate shocks, focusing on high heat, drought, floods, and air pollution.

What are Key Findings of the Global MPI Report 2025?

• Global Poverty Statistics: Of 6.3 billion people across 109 countries, 1.1 billion (18.3%) live in acute multidimensional poverty, mostly young, rural, and in low human development countries. 
• Multi-dimensional Poverty in India: Poverty fell from 55.1% (2005–2006) to 16.4% (2019–2021). Large areas of India face a severe mix of poverty, high heat, flooding, and air pollution.

• Poverty and Climate Interlinkages: Climate shocks are growing more frequent and intense, displacing 32 million people in 2022. Without strong climate mitigation, extreme poverty could nearly double by 2050. 
  • 309 million poor people live in areas with three or four overlapping climate hazards and severe poverty, facing a "triple or quadruple burden" with few assets and little social protection. 
• MPI Across Income Levels: About two-thirds (64.5%) of the world’s poor live in middle-income countries, with 55.5% in lower-middle-income and 9% in upper-middle-income nations. 
• Common Deprivations: Major deprivations include clean cooking fuel (970 million), adequate housing (878 million), sanitation (830 million), undernutrition (635 million), and out-of-school children (487 million). 
• Uneven Progress in MPI Reduction: Of 88 countries with comparable data, 76 have seen a decline in MPI at least once.  
  • Benin recorded the fastest absolute reduction (2017–2018 to 2021–2022), followed by Cambodia (2014 to 2021–2022) and Tanzania (2015–2016 to 2022).

What is the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)? 

• About: The MPI is a sophisticated tool that extends beyond income to capture the multiple, overlapping deprivations faced by poor people.  
  • Its main purpose is to complement income-based poverty measures (such as the USD 3.00/day rate) by providing a comprehensive view of non-monetary deprivations, enabling more effective and targeted policy interventions. 
• Weighting System: The indicators are not all weighted equally, but the dimensions are balanced. Health, Education, and Standard of Living each receive 1/3 of the total weight.  
  • Each health and education indicator is weighted 1/6 (because there are 2 indicators per dimension). 
  • Each standard of living indicator is weighted 1/18 (because there are 6 indicators per dimension). 
• Computation: The index is built on three core dimensions of poverty: Health, Education, and Standard of Living. These are broken down into 10 specific indicators: 
  • Health (2 indicators): Nutrition (any person under 70 years of age is undernourished), Child Mortality (death of any child in the household in the past 5 years). 
  • Education (2 indicators): Years of Schooling (no household member has completed 6 years of formal education), School Attendance (any child is not enrolled in school up to class 8). 
  • Standard of Living (6 indicators): Cooking Fuel, Sanitation, Drinking Water, Electricity, Housing, Assets.

• Identification of Poor: A person is identified as multidimensionally poor if their deprivation score is one third (33.3%) or higher. The final MPI value for a country or region is a product of two critical components (MPI = H × A): 
  • H - Incidence of Poverty: The proportion of the population who are multidimensionally poor (the headcount ratio). 
  • A - Intensity of Poverty: The average proportion of weighted deprivations poor people experience. It answers "how poor are the poor?" on average. 
  • MPI values range from 0 to 1, and higher values imply higher poverty. 

What are the Key Challenges to Poverty Alleviation in India, and How can they be Addressed?

Key Challenges	Required Measures
Multidimensional Deprivations: Poverty extends beyond low income to include overlapping deficits in health (malnutrition), education (low attainment), and standard of living (sanitation, housing).	Convergence of Welfare Schemes: Integrate programs like POSHAN Abhiyan (health), Samagra Shiksha (education), and PM Awas Yojana (housing) for a holistic approach to address all deprivations simultaneously.
Vulnerability to Climate Shocks: The poor, often in climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, are disproportionately affected by floods, droughts, and heatwaves, which can wipe out gains and cause descent into poverty.	Promoting Climate-Resilient Agriculture & Insurance: Expand PM Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance), promote drought-resistant crops, and develop climate risk insurance to protect livelihoods and assets.
Large Informal Sector Workforce: A vast majority of the poor work in the informal economy with no job security, social safety nets, or decent wages, making them highly vulnerable to economic shocks.	Universal Social Security & Skill Development: Implement schemes like e-Shram and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan for pensions, and Skill India Mission to enhance employability in formal sectors.
Regional & Social Disparities: Poverty is concentrated in specific regions (e.g., eastern states), among Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and other marginalized groups, leading to uneven development.	Targeted Interventions & Affirmative Action: Strengthen the Aspirational Districts Programme for backward regions and ensure effective implementation of SC/ST sub-plans and scholarships to bridge the gap.
Agricultural Distress: A large section of the poor are small and marginal farmers facing challenges of low productivity, debt, and lack of market access, leading to low and unstable incomes.	Income Support & Market Reforms: Provide direct income support through PM-KISAN, promote Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for better market access, and improve infrastructure through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.

Conclusion 

The 2025 MPI report underscores the critical intersection of poverty and climate hazards, threatening to reverse global gains. While India has made significant progress, with Kerala eliminating extreme poverty, the overlapping deprivations and climate exposure of its poor population demand urgent, integrated policy interventions for sustainable development. 

Drishti Mains Question: What is the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)? Discuss the significance of the MPI in measuring poverty beyond income and its policy implications in India.

Delhi Declaration 2025

Source: PIB

Why in News?

The Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals, adopted at the ARISE Cities Forum 2025 in New Delhi, is set to be presented at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. It serves as a landmark commitment from cities of the Global South to shape climate action through multilevel governance. 

What is Delhi Declaration 2025? 

• About: The Delhi Declaration 2025 marks a major milestone in strengthening urban climate leadership and resilience, especially across the Global South.  
• Key Commitments of the Delhi Declaration: 
  • Advance Local Climate Action: Strengthen and resource multilevel Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for measurable climate outcomes. 
  • Drive Inclusive Urban Resilience: Promote adaptation, circular economy practices, and nature-based solutions in city planning. 
  • Promote Just Transitions: Ensure fairness and equity in the shift toward net-zero emissions. 
  • Empower Citizens: Expand participation of women, youth, and communities in climate decision-making. 
  • Strengthen Governance: Build data-driven, transparent, and accountable systems for urban climate action. 
  • Mobilise Climate Finance: Enable direct and predictable access to climate finance for cities. 
  • Champion Global South Leadership: Encourage South-South cooperation, innovation, and knowledge sharing. 
• Significance: The declaration represents a collective urban commitment to act locally while influencing global climate policy.  
  • It positions cities as pivotal players in achieving sustainable, resilient, and equitable growth pathways. 

Why Urban Climate Governance Matters for India and the Global South? 

• Urban Climate Governance & Urbanisation Trends:  Urban Climate Governance refers to the framework of institutions, policies, and collaborations that enable cities to plan and implement climate action. 
  • It ensures that urban areas, which contribute to over 70% of global CO₂ emissions, become centres of climate solutions, not sources of vulnerability. 
  • Over 50% of the global population lives in cities; projected to reach 68% by 2050 (UN). 
  • India adds nearly 10 million new urban residents each year, heightening risks from heatwaves, pollution, and floods. 
    • Examples of city-level leadership include Pune and Surat’s heat action plans, Indore’s waste circularity, and Kochi’s nature-based flood solutions. 
• Disproportionate Vulnerabilities: The urban poor suffer most due to informal housing and weak access to services. 
  • Existing waste, water, and energy systems are already overstressed, and climate change worsens these strains. 
• Bridging Policy and Practice: While national policies exist, action remains top-down. The Delhi Declaration urges locally determined actions. 
  • Strengthened urban climate governance ensures resilience, inclusivity, and effective translation of global climate goals into local realities,

What are India’s Initiatives in Urban Climate Governance? 

• National Mission on Sustainable Habitat (NMSH): 
  • Part of the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). 
  • Focuses on energy efficiency in buildings, sustainable mobility, and solid waste management in cities. 
• Smart Cities Mission (SCM): 
  • Aims to develop 100 smart cities focusing on climate-smart infrastructure, renewable energy, and efficient resource use. 
  • Encourages integrated command centres for data-driven governance. 
• ClimateSmart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF):  
  • CSCAF has been developed to evaluate cities on five key themes: energy, mobility, water, waste, and urban planning. 
• National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) Initiatives: 
  • Leads the Climate Centre for Cities (C-Cube) to help urban local bodies mainstream climate action. 
• AMRUT 2.0 (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) 
  • AMRUT 2.0 promotes water security, green spaces, and climate-resilient infrastructure. 
• National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) 
  • NCAP  launched in 2019, originally aimed for a 20%-30% reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 levels by 2024, on the 2017 baseline levels. 
• Urban Forestry & Nature-Based Solutions 
  • Initiatives like Nagar Van Yojana promote urban green cover to mitigate heat and enhance carbon sequestration. 
• Green Urban Mobility Initiatives 
  • Under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) and FAME Scheme, cities are shifting toward electric and public transport systems.

Conclusion 

As the Delhi Declaration journeys “From Bharat to Belém,” it carries the united message of cities seeking recognition as equal partners in shaping global climate decisions. The ARISE Cities Forum 2025 thus stands as a turning point for urban resilience, showcasing that the path to a sustainable, climate-secure future begins in cities themselves.

Drishti Mains Question: Q. Discuss the significance of Urban Climate Governance in achieving India’s sustainable development and climate resilience goals.”

Blackbuck Revival in Chhattisgarh

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

After being declared locally extinct in 2017, the blackbuck has made a remarkable comeback in Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, Chhattisgarh. Through a five-year revival plan (2021–2026), the state forest department has successfully reintroduced and bred over 190 blackbucks.  

What is the Blackbuck Revival Program? 

• About Programme: The Chhattisgarh State Wildlife Board approved a five-year plan (2021–2026) aimed at re-establishing a self-sustaining blackbuck population in the region. 
  • A total of 77 blackbucks have been translocated under the project. Fifty were brought from the National Zoological Park in New Delhi, and twenty-seven were sourced from the Kanan Pendari Zoological Garden in Bilaspur. 
  • The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), once native to several regions of Chhattisgarh, disappeared due to extensive habitat degradation, poaching, and land-use changes. 
• Objective: The primary objective is to rebuild a stable and breeding blackbuck population and strengthen grassland management practices within the sanctuary. 
• Habitat and Veterinary Management: Sand-layering, improved drainage, and medical surveillance reduced mortality (e.g., post-2018 pneumonia outbreak). 
  • Dedicated team established for habitat improvement, including weed removal and native grass cultivation. 

What are the Key Facts Related to Blackbuck? 

• About: The blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), also known as the Indian Antelope, is a graceful and diurnal species native to India and Nepal. 
• Habitat: It primarily inhabits open grasslands and scrublands across states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha. 
  • The species is a flagship indicator of grassland ecosystem health and symbolizes the importance of conserving these often-overlooked habitats. 
  • Major blackbuck habitats in India include the Velavadar Blackbuck Sanctuary (Gujarat), Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu), and Tal Chhapar Sanctuary (Rajasthan). 
• Protection and Conservation Status:  
  • The IUCN Red List : Least Concern. 
  • Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I, providing the highest level of legal protection in India. 
  • The species is also included in Appendix III of CITES, which regulates international trade. 
• Symbolic Significance; 
  • The blackbuck has been declared the State Animal of Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, reflecting its ecological and cultural importance. 

Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme

Source:TH

Why in News? 

The Kerala Government has sought financial assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme to support the State’s cash-strapped education sector. 

What is the PM-SHRI Scheme? 

• About: The PM-SHRI Scheme, launched in 2022, is a centrally sponsored initiative aimed at upgrading over 14,500 existing schools to serve as model institutions showcasing the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 
  • The scheme runs from 2022–23 to 2026–27, after which the responsibility for maintenance lies with the respective states and UTs. 
• Key Features of PM-SHRI Schools 
  • Modern, well-equipped Smart Classrooms, Computer Labs, Integrated Science Labs, and Atal Tinkering Labs. 
  • Focus on competency-based learning and real-life application of knowledge. 
  • Promotion of green initiatives such as water conservation, solar energy use, and waste recycling. 
  • Experiential, inquiry-driven, and learner-centred pedagogy. 
• Funding Pattern: 
  • General States/UTs with legislature: 60:40 (Centre: State/UT) 
  • Northeastern and Himalayan States, J&K: 90:10 
  • UTs without legislature: 100% Central funding 
• Selection Process: 
  • Schools are selected for the PM SHRI Scheme through a competitive "Challenge Mode" process in three stages. 
    • First, states and union territories sign an MoU with the central government. 
    • Second, eligible schools are identified based on a minimum benchmark using UDISE+ data. 
    • Finally, a challenge-based selection occurs where schools must meet specific criteria, which are then verified through physical inspection by states or other authorities before an expert committee makes the final selection. 
  • Some states, including Punjab and West Bengal, have refused to sign the MoU while Tamil Nadu and Kerala have shown conditional willingness. 
    • As a result, the central government has stopped funding under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to states that have not signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to participate in the PM SHRI scheme.  
• Monitoring Framework: The School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) ensures accountability and continuous quality improvement. 

India Opposes China-Led WTO Investment Pact

Source: ET

Why in News? 

India raised concerns at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the China-led Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement citing systemic, legal, and procedural implications.

What is the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement? 

• About: It is a plurilateral WTO initiative to streamline bureaucratic procedures and enhance the transparency of investment rules to make it easier to attract global Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). It focuses on administrative reforms and cooperation. 
  • The core aim is to create legally binding provisions to facilitate and increase the flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), especially to developing and least-developed countries, to foster sustainable development. 
  • It has gathered support from 127 WTO members, including 90 developing economies and 27 LDCs, representing three-quarters of membership and highlighting its relevance for the Global South. 
• Key Features: 
  • Plurilateral Agreement: It is proposed as a plurilateral agreement, binding only on members who accept it, and will be included in Annex 4 (Plurilateral Trade Agreements) of the Marrakesh Agreement 1994. 
  • Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) Treatment: Any concession given to one investor from a signatory country must be extended to all other signatories. 
  • Open for Accession: Any WTO member can join the agreement. 
• India's Objections: India argues that the investment facilitation is a "non-mandated, non-multilateral issue" and its inclusion within the WTO framework undermines the organisation’s established mandate.  
  • India views this plurilateral push as a threat to the consensus-based, member-driven nature of the organization, allowing groups to bypass broader membership agreement. 

Lunar Exosphere

Source: TH 

India’s Chandrayaan-2 lunar orbiter has made a path-breaking scientific observation - for the first time ever, it has detected the effects of the Sun’s Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) on the Moon’s exosphere. The findings were obtained using CHACE-2 (Chandra’s Atmospheric Composition Explorer-2), one of the principal scientific instruments onboard the orbiter. 

• Lunar Exosphere: The Moon’s atmosphere is extremely thin and classified as an exosphere, where gas atoms and molecules rarely collide. Its surface forms the lower boundary of this exosphere. 
  • The lunar exosphere contains gases such as helium, argon, and neon, with traces from radioactive decay, solar wind, and meteoroid impacts. 
  • Due to its low density, it cannot retain heat, causing extreme temperature variations. 
  • This fragile atmosphere is produced by several processes, including: 
    • Interaction with solar radiation and solar wind (ions of hydrogen, helium, and heavier elements). 
    • Meteorite impacts that release atoms and molecules from the lunar surface. 
• Coronal Mass Injection: A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is a massive, violent expulsion of plasma (a superheated gas of protons and electrons) and magnetic fields from the Sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, that erupts outward into the solar system. 
  • It is one of the largest forms of solar activity and a major driver of space weather. 

Read More: Distribution of Argon-40 on Moon

Special Campaign 5.0-Towards Efficient Governance in India

Source: PIB 

Special Campaign 5.0 is making headlines as its implementation phase(October 2–31, 2025) is underway across Indian government offices. Ministries have reported significant progress in clearing public grievances. 

Special Campaign 5.0

• The Special Campaign 5.0 (officially, the Special Campaign for Disposal of Pending Matters 5.0 or SCDPM 5.0) is an initiative of the Government of India led by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). 
  • Building on the success of earlier editions, Campaign 5.0 focuses on “Minimizing Pendency and Institutionalizing Swachhata.” 
• Primary Objectives: 
  • Reduce pendency by expediting disposal of public grievances, appeals, and inter-ministerial references. 
  • Review and close old physical and e-files to promote digital efficiency. 
  • Conduct cleanliness drives in workplaces and public-facing offices. 
  • Ensure scientific e-waste and scrap disposal under the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022.

Read More: Decoding Good Governance