The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) developed by NITI Aayog relies solely on household income and consumption expenditure data to classify families as Below Poverty Line (BPL).

The National MPI, modeled after the Global MPI, deliberately moves away from purely income-based metrics. Instead, it assesses deprivations across three equally weighted dimensions: Health (nutrition, child mortality), Education (years of schooling, attendance), and Standard of Living (cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, and assets).