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Bare Necessities Index (BNI)
Why is it in news?
- According to a new ‘Bare Necessities Index’ (BNI) in the Economic Survey 2020-21, poorer States have reduced the gap with rich States in Bare Necessities.
- The index draws its name from Baloo the Bear’s song in the movie adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book.
- The index uses existing National Statistical Office survey data.
More from the Index:
- The poor states have reduced the gap with rich States in providing citizens with access to the basics of daily life — housing, water, power, sanitation, cooking gas.
- Between 2012 and 2018, serious gains were made in the area of sanitation although equity in housing access still lagged.
- States such as Kerala, Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat top the index.
- Eastern Indian States of Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Tripura occupy the lowest rungs.
- However, there was still a gap between urban and rural India, as well as among income groups.
- The index has recommended “effective targeting of the needier population” in government schemes.