POVERTY AS A CHALLENGE

Poverty can be simply understood as hunger and lack of shelter, lack of clean water and sanitation
facilities as well as lack of employment and daily wages. Poverty in India can be encountered at
every nook and corner, hence, as per the chapter on poverty as a challenge, every 4th citizen in India
is poor. Bringing millions of its people out of abject poverty is one of the biggest challenges of
Independent India. Mainly, there are two typical examples that can illustrate the poverty of India,
i.e. urban case and rural case.

The urban case of poverty puts forward the story of Ram Saran, a daily wage labourer at a flour mill
in Ranchi. While Saran’s wife and elder son also carry out daily wage jobs, the family is still not able
to meet the ends and has no access to healthcare and nutritious food but somehow manages to
meagre meals on a daily.

The rural case elaborates on the story of Lakhan Singh, a labourer working odd jobs for big farmers
in Meerut, UP. His family of eight barely manages to get daily meals and being landless, he only
carries out work for other rich farmers in his village. Studying these two cases to understand poverty
as a challenge in India, the imperative themes and factors leading up to increasing poverty in the
country are brought forward and these are:

Unemployment

Poor Health/Malnutrition

Illiteracy

Landlessness

Child Labour

Size of Families

Helplessness

Democratic Rights Notes

Food Security in India

Poverty as per Social Scientists

Social scientists look at poverty with a variety of indicators and generally define it as a certain level
of income. However, these indicators have been expanded to include illiteracy level, lack of general
resistance due to malnutrition, lack of access to healthcare, etc.

Poverty Line of India

The poverty line is a vital concept in poverty as a challenge. It can be defined as a predetermined
value that indicates the limit below which people are considered poor. In the case of poverty in
India, there are two ways to calculate the poverty line.

Income Method: This approach refers to the minimum income needed per month to purchase basic
necessities to draft the poverty line. For the year 2011-12, the poverty line limit was determined at
Rs. 1000 for urban areas and Rs. 816 for the rural population.
Consumption Method: In this method, the required daily calorie intake is multiplied by current
prices. For rural areas, the necessary calories are 2400 calories and 2100 calories in urban ones.

Poverty Estimates

The poverty of India fell from about 45 % in 1993-94 to 37.2% in 2004-05. This further reduced to
21.9% 2011-12.

Vulnerable Groups

The social groups most susceptible to poverty are Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
The rural agricultural labour and the urban casual labour amongst the economic groups are
considered to be the most vulnerable.

Inter-state Disparities

In India, the proportion of poor people differs from state to state. The recent estimates show that
Bihar and Odisha continue to be the most impoverished states with poverty rates of 33.7% and
37.6%, respectively.

Global Poverty Scenario

Global poverty has fallen drastically. In China and Southeast Asian countries, rapid economic growth
and massive investments in human resources have improved the poverty scenario.

Causes Of Poverty

A variety of causes has led to the state of poverty in India. Some of these are explained in the
chapter on poverty as a challenge. Let us discuss these:

Low level of economic development is considered to be the historical reason for the widespread
poverty of India. The colonial government policies ruined the traditional handicrafts and textile
industries and many others.

The Green Revolution created job opportunities in the agricultural sector. However, the effects were
limited to some parts of India and were not enough to absorb all the job seekers.

Income inequality is another reason for the high rate of poverty which was mainly because of the
unequal distribution of land and other resources.

Anti-Poverty Measures

Poverty as a Challenge class 9 focuses on the anti-poverty measures taken by the government to
handle poverty. Anti-poverty programmes are direly needed to tackle the challenge of poverty.
Hence, a few of these have been formulated by the Indian government to affect poverty directly or
indirectly and some are worth mentioning, such as :

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005: This scheme allows 100 days of
wage employment to every household. This ensures the security of livelihood in rural areas.

Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY), 1993: This policy creates self-employment opportunities for
educated unemployed youth.
Rural employment Generation Programme,1995: This scheme generates self-employment
opportunities in rural and small towns.

Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, 1999: This policy aims to pull-up assisted low-income
families above the poverty line.

Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana, 2000: This measure gives states additional central assistance for
essential services like primary health, education, rural shelter, rural drinking water.

The Challenges Ahead

In India, poverty as a challenge needs to be handled in a more efficient way so that we will be able to
achieve our goals in a shorter period of time. Poverty reduction is expected to make better progress
in the next ten to fifteen years. This can be possible with higher economic growth, increasing stress
on universal free elementary education, and declining population growth.

Questions for Poverty as a Challenge (To be done in register)

1. Describe how the poverty line is estimated in India?

Ans. A person is considered poor if his or her income or consumption level
falls below a given “minimum level” necessary to fulfil the basic needs.
This minimum level is called the poverty line. In India, the poverty line is
estimated by multiplying the prices of physical quantities like food,
clothing, footwear, fuel, light, education, etc. in rupees. The numbers
involved in determining the poverty line vary for different years. Also, the
poverty line for rural areas is different from that of the urban areas
because the work, lifestyle and expenses are different for rural and urban
areas.

2. Do you think that the present methodology of poverty estimation is appropriate?

Ans. The present methodology is not appropriate. It calculates the minimum subsistence
level of living. It does not take into calculation whether the person has a reasonable or
decent life with access to education, home, clean drinking water, etc.

3. Describe poverty trends in India since 1973?

Ans. There is a substantial decline in poverty ratios in India from about 55 per cent in 1973
to 36 per cent in 1993. The proportion of people below poverty line further came down to
about 26 per cent in 2000. If the trend continues, people below poverty line further came
down to less than 20 per cent in the next few years.

4. Why do different countries use different poverty lines?

Ans. Different countries use different poverty lines because (a) The calorie requirement of
different human races is different depending on their physical condition and dietary habits.
Those races which have greater height and build require higher calories.
(b) The per capita income in different countries is also different i.e., per capita income is
higher in developed countries as compared to developing countries.
(c) The standard of living of Western countries is higher than that of developing countries.
(d) The cost of essential items used in calculating poverty line is higher in the developed
countries.
5. What do you think would be the “minimum necessary level” in your locality?
Ans. I live in city so the poverty line be calculated according to the Urban area. In 2011-12,
the poverty line for a person was fixed at Rs1000 per month for the urban area. But now in
year 2019 as the high level of inflation and price rise, it should be at least Rs 2000 per person
per month.
6. Discuss the major reasons for poverty in India?
Ans. The Major Reasons for Poverty in India are the rising population, slow economic
development, unemployment, unequal distribution of income and resources, etc. In addition
to being a social problem, poverty significantly impedes the progress of our nation. Although
poverty may appear to be a singular issue, it is actually the root of almost all other issues in
India due to a number of factors.

7. Define vulnerable groups in India.

Ans. Vulnerable groups refer to individuals or communities who are at a higher risk of
experiencing social, economic, or health disparities due to various factors. These groups
often face barriers that limit their access to resources, opportunities, and services, making
them more susceptible to adverse outcomes.
1. Children and Youth: - Children and youth are vulnerable due to their dependency on
adults and limited decision-making abilities. - Factors such as poverty, abuse, neglect, lack of
education, and limited access to healthcare can significantly impact their well-being and
development. - Special attention is required to ensure their safety, education, and overall
physical and mental health.
2. Elderly: - The elderly population is vulnerable due to age-related physical and cognitive
decline, which can lead to increased dependency on others. - Social isolation, inadequate
healthcare, financial insecurity, and elder abuse are some of the challenges they may face. -
Providing support systems, healthcare services, and promoting social engagement are
crucial for their well-being.
3. People with Disabilities: - Individuals with physical, intellectual, sensory, or mental health
disabilities often face barriers in accessing education, employment, transportation, and
healthcare. - Discrimination, stigma, and limited accessibility can further marginalize them
and hinder their full participation in society. - Ensuring equal opportunities, reasonable
accommodations, and inclusive policies are essential to address their needs.
4. Ethnic and Racial Minorities: - Minority groups often face systemic discrimination, racism,
and unequal treatment based on their ethnicity or race. - Limited access to education,
employment opportunities, healthcare disparities, and social exclusion can significantly
impact their well-being and social mobility. - Promoting diversity, combating discrimination,
and creating inclusive policies are key to addressing their vulnerabilities.
5. Women and Girls: - Gender-based discrimination, violence, limited access to education,
healthcare, and economic opportunities make women and girls vulnerable. - Gender
inequality and stereotypes can hinder their empowerment, decision-making abilities, and
overall well-being. - Promoting gender equality, empowering women, and addressing
gender-based violence are crucial steps in supporting this vulnerable group.
8. List out the anti-poverty measures taken by the Indian government.

Ans. The major anti-poverty programmes suggested by the Govt. of India are as follows:
1. Integrated Rural Development Programme:

It was introduced in the year 1978-79 and universalized from 2nd October, 1980. The main
aim is to provide support to the rural poor in the form of subsidy and bank credit for
productive work opportunities through successive plan periods.

2. Jawahar Rozgar Yojana /Jawahar Gram Samriddhi Yojana (JGSY):

Two new schemes, namely, National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) and Rural
Landless Employment Guarantee Programme (RLEGP) were merged in the year1989, under
Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY). The purpose was to generate good work prospects for the
unemployed in rural areas by creating economic infrastructure, community and social assets.
From the year 1999, this old scheme started again with a new name as Jawahar Gram
Samriddhi Yojana (JGSY), mainly for rural economic infrastructure programme with the
purpose of employ¬ment generation.

3. Employment Assurance Scheme:

This scheme was launched in the year 1993. It mainly covers drought-prone, desert, tribal
and hill area blocks. In the year1997-98, it extended to several other blocks. Employment
assurance scheme was planned for creating employment opportunity in the form of manual
work when there is no agricultural season. It was expected to lead to the creation of robust
economic and social infrastruc¬ture and address the needs of people.

4. Food for Work Programme:

In the year 2000, the Food for Work Programme was started as a component of EAS. It
started with some major drought-affected states, namely Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Orrisa,
Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh. The main aim is
to enhance food security through wage employment.

5. Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana:

The new Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) Scheme started in 2001 was the mix of
old JGSY, EAS and Food for Work Programme. The primary aim of the scheme was the
generation of wage employment, creation of good economic infrastructure in rural areas as
well as food provision and nutrition security for the underdeveloped.

6. Rural Housing – Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY):

PMGAY is a government flagship programme, created for providing housing for the Indian
rural poor. A similar scheme for urban poor was launched in 2015 as Housing for All. For BPL
 population, similar program was launched by late PM Rajiv Gandhi, known as Indira Awaas
Yojana which was one of the major flagship programs.

7. National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS):

NOAPS came into effect from the year 1995. Providing pension to old people above now 60,
who does not have any means of subsistence is the main aim of this project. It is provided by
the central government. Implementation of this scheme in places is given to panchayats and
municipalities.

8. National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS):

NFBS was started in the year 1995 and is sponsored state governments, under community
and rural department. They provide certain amount to a member of family who becomes
the head of the family after the death of its primary breadwinner.

9. National Maternity Benefit Scheme :

NMBS provides certain amount grant mother in three instalments. The women must be
older than 19 years. It is normally provided eighth to twelfth weeks before the birth of child.
And in case of the death of the child, the women can still avail it.

9. What do you understand by human poverty?

Ans. It refers to the denial of political, social and economic opportunities to an individual to
maintain a reasonable standard of living Illiteracy, lack of job opportunities, lack of access to
proper healthcare and sanitation, caste and gender discrimination, etc. are all components
of human poverty.

10. What are the main features of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005?
Ans. The main feature of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (NREGA) is as
follow:
It guarantees the 100 days of wage employment in the financial year to a rural household
whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. In this scheme, one-third of
the proposed job will be reserved for women.
This scheme will be initially started in 200 districts. Later on, this scheme will be further
extended to 600 districts.
If the applicant is not employed within 15 days, then he/she will be entitled to a daily
unemployment allowance.

MCQs

NFWP stands for?

(a) National Federation for Work and Progress

(b) National Forest for Wildlife Protection

(c) National Food and Wheat Processing

(d) National Food for Work Programme

(d) National Food for Work Programme

In which state have the land reform measures helped to reduce poverty?

(a) Tamil Nadu

(b) Punjab

(c) West Bengal

(d) Kerala

(c)West Bengal

The poverty line in rural areas is (As per 1999 – 2000 prices)

(a) Rs 328

(b) Rs. 370

(c) Rs 454

(d) Rs. 460

(a) Rs 328

Which social group is most vulnerable to poverty in India?

(a) Scheduled castes

(b) Scheduled tribes

(c) Casual labourers

(d) All the above

(d) All the above

How many people in India live below the poverty line?

(a) 30 crores

(b) 26 crores

(c) 28 crores

(d) 24 crores

(b) 26 crores