1Research Scholar, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Email: khushbubhu80@gmail.com
2Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Email: priyabrata.s@bhu.ac.in
3Assistant Professor, Christ University, Economics Cluster, Bengaluru, Email: manasi.dash@christuniversity.in, respectively
Online published on 5 March, 2026.
This study examines, multidimensional deprivation among female headed households in rural regions across the major states of India. By using principal component analysis, the multidimensional deprivation index has been constructed on six dimensions: housing conditions, assets, basic amenities, health, mass media, education and the aggregate index. The results of the study found that while Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh are the most deprived states in India, Goa, Kerala, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh are the least deprived among the female headed households. The key findings indicate that, in states like ‘Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu’ the Female Headed House are more deprived than male-headed households. The study emphasizes the need for government policies and programs focusing on the regional perspective in order to address the difficulties of female headed households in India.
Multidimensional deprivation, Female headed Households, Principle component analysis (PCA), National family health survey (NFHS), Multiple indicator survey (MIS)
