Poverty in India can be defined as a situation only when a section of peoples are unable to satisfy the basic needs of life. The definition and methods of measuring poverty differs from country to country. According to an expert group of Planning Commission, poverty line in rural areas are drawn with an intake of 2400 calories in rural areas and 2100 calories in urban areas. If the person is unable to get that minimum level of calories is considered as being below poverty line.
The Planning Commission made a survey for finding out the number of persons below poverty line and estimated that 18.96% of the total peoples live below poverty line as of the year 1993-94.
The
poverty in India can be defined on the basis of
rural poverty as well as
urban poverty.
Rural Poverty In India
India is a more rural based country highly dependent on agricultural sector. There is higher concentration of poverty in the rural India as to the given statistics. Government's plans and procedures have failed in many times. The important reasons for country's poverty are as follows:
1) Alarming population Growth
2) Lack of Investment
3) Lower Literacy Rate
4) Regional inequalities
5) Failure Of PDS system
The Government of India has taken various steps from time to time to reduce
Rural poverty in India. The recent steps are as follows:
Small Farmers Development Programme
Draught Area Development Programme
Food For Work Programme
Minimum Needs Programme
Integrated Rural Development Programme
National Rural Employment Programme
Rural Labour Employment Guaranty Programme
Assurance on Employment
Urban Poverty In India
India Budget
India Budget 2008
India is stepping forward for becoming a country with more urbanized. The recent experiences tell that the urban areas are facing the same problem of poverty as of the rural areas. The reasons behind urban poverty are as follows:
1) Improper Training
2) Growing population
3) Slower job Growth
4) Failure of PDS System
Government's policy initiatives for eradicating the problem of urban poverty are as follows:
Nehru Rozgar Yojana
Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana
National Social Assistance Programme
Urban Basic Services for the Poor Programme
The following table shows the over all poverty in India over various years given by Tenth Five Year Plan.
| Year |
Poverty Ratio (Per cent) |
Number Of Poor (Millions) |
| Rural |
Urban |
Combined |
Rural |
Urban |
Combined |
| 1977-78
|
53.1
|
45.2
|
51.3
|
264.3
|
64.4
|
328.9
|
|
1983
|
45.7
|
40.8
|
44.5
|
252.0
|
70.9
|
322.9
|
|
1987-88 |
39.1 |
38.2 |
38.9 |
231.9 |
75.2 |
307.1 |
|
1993-94 |
37.3 |
32.4 |
36.0 |
244.0 |
76.3 |
320.3 |
|
1999-00 |
27.1 |
23.6 |
26.1 |
193.2 |
67.1 |
260.3 |
|
2007* |
21.1 |
15.1 |
19.3 |
170.5 |
49.6 |
220.1 |