Energy deprivation is a major universal issue that has serious consequences for health, education, and overall quality of life. Energy is commonly recognised as an important factor in socioeconomic development, as it enables individuals to fulfill their basic energy requirements in both developed and developing nations. However, the measurement of energy deprivation has been thoroughly debated and has yielded conflicting results. Multidimensional Household Energy Deprivation (MHED) is an increasingly standard index that is more robust and comprehensive than other indices, as it can accurately measure the incidence and severity of energy deprivation at the household level. With this background, the objectives of this study are: first, to estimate the Multidimensional Household Energy Deprivation Index (MHEDI) and assess the geo-spatial variability of energy deprivation at district level in India second, to identify the potential risk factors and measure the accuracy of prediction of multidimensional energy deprivation at household level, and also assesses the moderating role of women empowerment in reducing multidimensional energy deprivation third, to investigate the association between multidimensional energy deprivation and child health and educational outcome fourth, to measure the contribution of household energy deprivation to the total economic inequality in child health and educational outcomes. Data will be extracted from National Family Health Survey (NFHS) round 4 (2015-16) and round 5 (2019-2021). The empirical analysis will utilize appropriate econometric models and geospatial techniques to understand the multidimensional approach to energy deprivation and its association with child health and education. The results of this study will be relevant to public policy and will substantially contribute to existing knowledge of multidimensional household energy deprivation, both at the national and international level.

Keywords: Household energy deprivation Multidimensional approach Geo-spatial disparities Risk factors Women empowerment Child well-being