OXFAM & DFI’s CRI Index 2020:India ranked 129; Norway topped

India has been ranked 129 out of 158 countries in the Third Edition of Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index or CRI Index 2020 released by Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI). According to the report, India has spent only 4 percent of its budget on health during the Pandemic, which is the Fourth Lowest in the world.

Key Points of CRI Index 2020:

i.Nigeria, Bahrain and India are among the World’s worst performing countries in tackling inequality during the pandemic. 

ii.With 4% of Budget on Health, India has been ranked at 155 (4th from the Bottom) on the health spending index. 

iii.The report measures Government Policies and Actions in 3 key areas which are directly related to reducing inequality

• Social Spending,
• Progressive Taxation Policies and
• Labour Rights.

iv.Only 26 of 158 countries spent the recommended 15 percent of their budgets on health to fight COVID-19.

India in CRI Index 2020:

i.India’s Ranking is 141 in Public Services Ranking (score of 0.16), 19 in Progressive Tax Ranking (score of 0.75), 151 in Workers’ Rights Ranking (score of 0.35). 

ii.According to the report, 1 % of Indian population holds 77% of total national wealth, and 67 million Indians comprising the poorest half of the population saw only 1% increase in wealth.

iii.Each year 63 Million Indians are pushed into poverty because of healthcare costs, and only half of the population have access to essential health care services.

iv.The report also noted that only 10 % of the workforce in India is formal, and has safe working conditions and social security. 

v.70% of health spending is taken care of people themselves, which is one of the highest levels in the world.

vi.India has been ranked at 26 (out of 30 countries) in Regional CRI Ranking (East Asia and the Pacific), and 6 in Sub-regional CRI Ranking (out of 8 countries).  

CRI Index 2020 Overall Ranking: