Multi Dimensional Poverty in Rural Kashmir Extent Determinants and Policy Options

Abstract

Conventionally, poverty is measured in monetary terms, either using income or newlineconsumption expenditure. But since the seminal work of Amartya Sen, poverty has newlinebeen acknowledged as a multidimensional phenomenon and has gained the attention newlineof researchers, economists and policy makers. Multidimensional approach captures newlinethe broader picture of poverty as it involves innumerable dimensions which is newlineimpossible in the uni-dimensional approach of poverty. The broad objective of the newlinestudy is to examine the nature and extent of multidimensional poverty and also find newlineout the determinants of poverty in the rural Kashmir of Jammu and Kashmir state. The newlinestudy is based on primary data collected during first quarter of 2016 from eight newlinevillages namely, Adlash Magam, Niamatpora, Zainpora, Zerakan, Faqir Gujri, newlineSangam, Anayatpora and Pushwari of rural Kashmir. This study is inimitable in newlineincluding eight dimensions with twenty-seven indicators of human well-being. The newlinedimensions used are Economic, Health, Education, Wealth, Work and Employment, newlineOwnership of Productive Assets, Empowerment and Social Participation. newlineFor examining the nature and extent of multidimensional poverty in rural Kashmir, newlineAlkire-Foster method is used. In order to find out the determinants of poverty, logistic newlineregression model is used. The results reveal that, both uni-dimensional (income newlinepoverty) poverty and multidimensional poverty is prevailing in the rural Kashmir. As newlinev newlinethe Alkire-Foster method shows the incidence and intensity of poverty, the incidence newlineof poverty in the rural Kashmir is 0.856 which means about 85 per cent of the newlinehouseholds in the rural Kashmir are multidimensionally poor. However, the intensity of newlinepoverty is 0.461 which means on an average a household is deprived in almost 46 per newlinecent of the indicators in rural Kashmir. newlineThe results of logistic regression model reveal that the low level of education of newlinehousehold head is an important cause of multi-dimensional poverty in the rural newlineKashmir. It implies that lower the level of education of house