Economic Survey Introduces Bare Necessities Index To Focus On Equity

The Economic Survey 2020-21 brought forth the ‘Bare Necessities Index’ (BNI) to gauge the equitable delivery of bare necessities across all states. For qualitative analysis, the BNI employs 26 indicators across five dimensions - water, sanitation, housing, micro-environment, and other facilities. Besides, BNI utilises the existing National Statistical Office survey data for measurements. The survey unveiled that access to necessities was asymmetrical and advised effective targeting of the deprived.