Chapter - 3 Poverty as a Challenge
Poverty – A person is considered poor if they are unable to fulfill the basic needs of life – food, clothing, shelter, education, and health care.
Poverty is not just about income but also lack of access to services and opportunities.
Two case study from chapter shows following issues related to poverty :
- Landlessness
- Unemployement
- size of families
- Illiteracy
- Poor health/malnutrition
- Child labour
- Helplessness
Dimensions of Poverty
1. Income and Consumption :- Low income means people cannot afford basic necessities. Insufficient food, clothes, shelter. Example: People earning less than the poverty line.
2. Education :- Poor people often lack access to quality education. Leads to low skill levels → hard to get good jobs. Cycle of poverty continues from one generation to another.
3. Health and Nutrition :- Poor people suffer from malnutrition, diseases, and lack of medical care. Often live in unhygienic conditions. No access to hospitals, medicines, or clean drinking water.
4. Living Conditions :- Many poor people live in kutcha houses, slums, or crowded areas. No proper electricity, toilets, drainage system, or clean water.
5. Job Security :- Most poor people work in the informal sector: - Daily wage laborers, street vendors, rickshaw pullers. They face unemployment, underemployment, or irregular work. No fixed income or job protection.
6. Social Exclusion :- Some communities face poverty because of discrimination. Based on caste, religion, gender, or region. Example: Dalits or tribal communities being denied opportunities.
In India, it is based on calorie intake:
- Rural areas: 2400 calories/day
- Urban areas: 2100 calories/day
- It also considers monthly income:
- Example: ₹816/month in rural areas and ₹1000/month in urban areas (as per past data; this changes over time).
Causes of Poverty in India:
- Colonial rule (economic drain during British period)
- Unequal distribution of land and resources
- Unemployment
- Low level of education and skills
- Social factors like caste discrimination
Vulnerable Groups:
- Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs)
- Landless agricultural laborers
- Casual workers in urban areas
- Women, elderly, and children often suffer the most
Inter-State Disparities:
- Poverty is higher in states like Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh
- Better performance in Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana
Global Poverty Scenario: - Poverty is not limited to India; it is a global issue.
- South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa have the highest poverty rates.
Anti-Poverty Measures in India:
- Promotion of Economic Growth (especially since the 1980s)
- Targeted Anti-Poverty Programs, like:
Introduced: In 2005 by the Government of India
Objective:
- To provide guaranteed wage employment to rural households and reduce rural poverty.
- Guarantees 100 days of wage employment in a financial year to every rural household whose adult members are willing to do unskilled manual work.
- If work is not provided within 15 days, the applicant is entitled to unemployment allowance.
- Preference is given to women – at least one-third of the jobs are reserved for women.
- Many truly poor families were left out, while some non-poor families got benefits.
- Corruption and favoritism in making BPL lists led to wrong targeting.
- Ration shops often:
- Open irregularly
- Sell low-quality food grains
- Are involved in black marketing (selling ration in open market)
- Creating more employment
- Ensuring minimum basic needs for all
- Bridging the gap between rich and poor
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