Poverty
The UN Human Rights Council has defined poverty as “A human condition characterized by the sustained or chronic deprivation of the resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights”.
Poverty manifests itself in the form of both absolute poverty as well as relative poverty.
Absolute Poverty: This concept is based on absolute needs of the people and people are defined as poor when some absolute needs are not sufficiently satisfied. It is also defined in terms of insufficiency of basic needs. In India, these basic needs are measured in terms of calorie intake of 2400 in rural areas per person per day and 2100 in urban areas. The corresponding monetary yardstick for calorie intake is based on per capita monthly household expenditure.
Relative Poverty: This concept is related to the general standard of living in a society. Thus, according to this concept, people are poor because they are deprived of the opportunities, comforts and self-respect regarded as normal in the community to which they belong. In relative poverty, poor are defined as, a person or family whose incomes are less than the average income of the community. Thus relative poverty relates to inequalities in a society. India is characterised by both in extreme measures, i.e., absolute and relative poverty.
CAUSES OF POVERTY
The extent of poverty in an economy is due to a wide range of factors as follows:
(i) Underdeveloped nature of economy.
(ii) Rapid growth of population in an overpopulated country; even if the national income increases, the per capita income remains the same due to increase in population.
(iii) Large inequalities in the ownership of earning assets such as land, buildings, industry etc.
(iv) Low level of productivity in agriculture and industry.
(v) Large scale unemployment and under-employment.
(vi) Inequality of opportunity in acquiring education and skills.
(vii) State Policies.
(viii) Regional disparities
The extent of poverty in an economy is due to a wide range of factors as follows:
(i) Underdeveloped nature of economy.
(ii) Rapid growth of population in an overpopulated country; even if the national income increases, the per capita income remains the same due to increase in population.
(iii) Large inequalities in the ownership of earning assets such as land, buildings, industry etc.
(iv) Low level of productivity in agriculture and industry.
(v) Large scale unemployment and under-employment.
(vi) Inequality of opportunity in acquiring education and skills.
(vii) State Policies.
(viii) Regional disparities
PROGRAMMES FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION
Salient features of various employment generation of poverty alleviation programme are given below:
1. MGNREGA
This flagship programme of the Government of India aims at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas of the country by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. It also mandates 1/3rd participation for women. The primary objective of the scheme is to augment wage employment. This is to be done, while also focusing on strengthening natural resource management through works that address causes of chronic poverty like drought, deforestation, soil erosion and thus encourage sustainable development.
1. MGNREGA
This flagship programme of the Government of India aims at enhancing livelihood security of households in rural areas of the country by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. It also mandates 1/3rd participation for women. The primary objective of the scheme is to augment wage employment. This is to be done, while also focusing on strengthening natural resource management through works that address causes of chronic poverty like drought, deforestation, soil erosion and thus encourage sustainable development.
2. Deendayal Upadhyay Antyodaya Yojana (DAY)
To reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by enabling them to access gainful self employment and skilled wage employment opp-ortunities, resulting in an appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots level institutions of the poor. The mission would aim at providing shelters equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. In addition, the mission would also address livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors by facilitating access to suitable spaces, Institutional credit, social security and skills to the urban street vendors for accessing emerging market opportunities.
To reduce poverty and vulnerability of the urban poor households by enabling them to access gainful self employment and skilled wage employment opp-ortunities, resulting in an appreciable improvement in their livelihoods on a sustainable basis, through building strong grassroots level institutions of the poor. The mission would aim at providing shelters equipped with essential services to the urban homeless in a phased manner. In addition, the mission would also address livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors by facilitating access to suitable spaces, Institutional credit, social security and skills to the urban street vendors for accessing emerging market opportunities.
3. National Health Mission
The National Health Mission (NHM)with its two Sub-Missions, namely the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) covering both the rural and urban areas came into effect with Cabinet approval of 1st May,2013.
The main programmatic components of NHM include Health System Strengthening in both rural and urban areas, Reproductive-Maternal- Neonatal-Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) interventions, and control of Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases.
The National Health Mission (NHM)with its two Sub-Missions, namely the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) covering both the rural and urban areas came into effect with Cabinet approval of 1st May,2013.
The main programmatic components of NHM include Health System Strengthening in both rural and urban areas, Reproductive-Maternal- Neonatal-Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A) interventions, and control of Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases.
4. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojna
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is available to people between 18 and 70 years of age with bank accounts. It has an annual premium of Rs. 12 (18¢ US) excluding service tax, which is about 14% of the premium. The amount will be automatically debited from the account. In case of accidental death or full disability, the payment to the nominee will be Rs.2 lakh (US$3,000) and in case of partial Permanent disability Rs.1 lakh (US$1,500). Full disability has been defined as loss of use in both eyes, hands or feet. Partial Permanent disability has been defined as loss of use in one eye, hand or foot.
This scheme will be linked to the bank accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana scheme. Most of these account had zero balance initially. The government aims to reduce the number of such zero balance accounts by using this and related schemes
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana is available to people between 18 and 70 years of age with bank accounts. It has an annual premium of Rs. 12 (18¢ US) excluding service tax, which is about 14% of the premium. The amount will be automatically debited from the account. In case of accidental death or full disability, the payment to the nominee will be Rs.2 lakh (US$3,000) and in case of partial Permanent disability Rs.1 lakh (US$1,500). Full disability has been defined as loss of use in both eyes, hands or feet. Partial Permanent disability has been defined as loss of use in one eye, hand or foot.
This scheme will be linked to the bank accounts opened under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana scheme. Most of these account had zero balance initially. The government aims to reduce the number of such zero balance accounts by using this and related schemes
5. Atal Pension Yojana
Under the Atal Pension Yojna Scheme (APY), the subscribers, under the age of 40, would receive the fixed monthly pension of Rs. 1000 to Rs. 5000 at the age of 60 years, depending on their contributions. To make the the pension scheme more attractive, government would co-contribute 50% of a subscriber’s contribution or Rs. 1,000 per annum, whichever is lower to each eligible subscriber account for a period of 5 years from 2015-16 to 2019-20. The benefit of government’s co-contribution can be availed by those who subscribe to the scheme before December 31, 2015.
Under the Atal Pension Yojna Scheme (APY), the subscribers, under the age of 40, would receive the fixed monthly pension of Rs. 1000 to Rs. 5000 at the age of 60 years, depending on their contributions. To make the the pension scheme more attractive, government would co-contribute 50% of a subscriber’s contribution or Rs. 1,000 per annum, whichever is lower to each eligible subscriber account for a period of 5 years from 2015-16 to 2019-20. The benefit of government’s co-contribution can be availed by those who subscribe to the scheme before December 31, 2015.
6. Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is low cost life insurance policy provided by government of India. Maximum sum offered under this scheme is Rs. 2 Lakh Premium payable for this insurance scheme is Rs. 330 per year or less than 1 rupee per day.
It is Available to people in the age group of 18 to 50 and having a bank account. People who join the scheme before completing 50 years can, however, continue to have the risk of life cover up to the age of 55 years subject to payment of premium.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana is low cost life insurance policy provided by government of India. Maximum sum offered under this scheme is Rs. 2 Lakh Premium payable for this insurance scheme is Rs. 330 per year or less than 1 rupee per day.
It is Available to people in the age group of 18 to 50 and having a bank account. People who join the scheme before completing 50 years can, however, continue to have the risk of life cover up to the age of 55 years subject to payment of premium.
7. Pradhan Matri Awaas Yojana
The Mission will be implemented during 2015-2022 and will provide central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other implementing agencies through States/UTs for:
The Mission will be implemented during 2015-2022 and will provide central assistance to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other implementing agencies through States/UTs for:
• In-situ Rehabilitation of existing slum dwellers using land as a resource through private participation
• Credit Linked Subsidy
• Affordable Housing in Partnership
• Subsidy for Beneficiary-led individual house construction/enhancement.
• Credit Linked Subsidy
• Affordable Housing in Partnership
• Subsidy for Beneficiary-led individual house construction/enhancement.
Credit linked subsidy component will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme while other three components will be implemented as Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
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