An Estimation of the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index in Pakistan

The lack of access to modern energy resources restricts possibilities and widens the gap between affluent and poor people. Energy-poor households are those who do not have access to modern, reliable, and inexpensive energy. Therefore, the key aim of this study is to estimate the multidimensional energy poverty index in Pakistan. For this, the data has been taken from Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017- 2018 (DHS), and a total of 20103 samples were selected for the current analysis. The Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI) was calculated using five dimensions and six indicators to estimate energy poverty in the household. MEPI was calculated for overall Punjab and its nine divisions separately. The study's findings depict that 32 percent of households in overall Punjab have energy poverty. Similarly, from Division Bahawalpur 54 percent, DG khan division 64.3 percent, Faisalabad division 28.3 percent, Gujranwala division only 10.5 percent, Lahore division 14.8 percent, Multan division 45.1 percent, Rawalpindi division 21.7 percent and Sahiwal division 54.4 percent and Sargodha division a total of 34.9 percent households have multidimensional energy poverty.