Page 350 - ES 2020-21_Volume-1-2 [28-01-21]

The Bare Necessities 333

10.24 The State-wise BNI in 2012 and 2018 correlate positively with the gross enrolment ratio
6
for class 9-10 and class 11-12 (Figure 23). The panel regression results presented in Table 1 are
also statistically significant suggesting that high level of the gross enrolment ratio in the schools
could be linked with BNI.

Figure 23: BNI India and Gross Enrolment Ratio

Source: Survey calculations.

CONCLUSION

10.25 Using the composite index of bare necessities, this chapter summarizes the progress
made in providing access to bare necessities for ensuring a healthy living. It was found that
compared to 2012, access to “the bare necessities” has improved across all States in the country
in 2018. The improvements are widespread as they span each of the five dimensions viz., access
to water, housing, sanitation, micro-environment and other facilities. Inter-State disparities in
the access to “the bare necessities” have declined in 2018 compared to 2012 across rural and
urban areas. This is because the States where the level of access to “the bare necessities” was low
in 2012 have gained relatively more between 2012 and 2018. Access to “the bare necessities”
has improved disproportionately more for the poorest households when compared to the richest
households across rural and urban areas. The improvement in equity is particularly noteworthy
because while the rich can seek private alternatives, lobby for better services, or if need be,
move to areas where public goods are better provided for, the poor rarely have such choices. It
was also found that the improved access to “the bare necessities” has led to improvements in
health indicators and in education indicators. However, while improvements in access to bare
necessities are evident, the disparities in access to bare necessities continues to exist between
rural-urban, among income groups and also across States. Government schemes, such as the Jal
Jeevan Mission, SBM-G, PMAY-G, may design appropriate strategy to address these gaps to
enable India achieve the SDG goals of reducing poverty, improving access to drinking water,
sanitation and housing by 2030. There should be effective targeting of the needier population be
they in urban or rural areas or across states. As civic amenities in urban areas are also provided
by the local self-governments, there must be effective convergence in scheme implementation
at the Centre-State and local levels. For this purpose, a BNI based on large annual household
survey data can be constructed using suitable indicators and methodology at district level for all/
targeted districts to assess the progress on access to bare necessities.

6 Data for 2011-12 and 2018-19 sourced from Statistics of School Education 2011-12, Ministry of Education and
for 2018-19 from U-DISE.