{"id":74490,"date":"2026-03-01T18:04:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T12:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=74490"},"modified":"2026-03-02T12:44:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T07:14:56","slug":"poverty-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/poverty-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Poverty In India, Absolute Vs Relative, Causes, Types, Trends"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty in India reflects both basic deprivation and widening inequality, seen through absolute poverty (lack of essentials for survival) and relative poverty (inequality compared to societal standards). It is driven by factors such as low agricultural productivity, unemployment, population pressure, and historical social disparities. To combat this, the government implements programmes like MGNREGA, NFSA, PMAY, and social security schemes targeting income support, food security, and basic services. Despite improvements, reducing multidimensional deprivation remains a core developmental challenge.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Poverty In India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty in India has reduced significantly in its multidimensional form, yet <\/span><b>extreme poverty has remained persistently high in the last five years<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing uneven progress. Poverty is a social condition where a section of society cannot meet basic needs like food, shelter, healthcare, and education. Structural inequalities, slow employment growth, and rising vulnerabilities have contributed to continued deprivation despite welfare improvements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Poverty In India Historical Perspective<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s poverty has deep historical roots shaped by colonial exploitation, post-Independence economic stagnation, and long-standing structural inequalities. While the country has made notable progress in recent decades, especially after economic reforms, the legacy of low productivity, unequal access to resources, and regional imbalance continues to influence today\u2019s poverty patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Colonial Exploitation and Deindustrialisation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: British rule destroyed traditional industries and drained wealth, causing mass unemployment; India\u2019s share in world GDP fell from <\/span><b>~20% in 1700 to ~4% by 1950<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Slow Economic Growth Post-Independence (1950\u20131980)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The \u201cHindu Rate of Growth\u201d of <\/span><b>3\u20133.5%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was too low to significantly reduce poverty, despite planning and state-led development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Green Revolution but Uneven Gains<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The 1960s\u201370s agriculture reforms boosted yields mainly in Punjab\u2013Haryana, while Eastern and Central India remained trapped in chronic poverty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>High Poverty Estimates in the 1970s\u201380s<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Early official poverty assessments showed <\/span><b>over 50% of India\u2019s population<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> living below the poverty line, highlighting widespread deprivation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Post-1991 Reforms and Accelerated Poverty Reduction<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Liberalisation increased growth to <\/span><b>6\u20138%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, helped lift millions out of poverty, and set the stage for the sharp MPI decline noted between 2013\u201314 and 2019\u201321.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Types of Poverty Absolute vs. Relative<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty may be understood as absolute, defined by minimum subsistence needs, or relative, defined by inequality and deprivation compared to societal standards.<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Absolute poverty: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It refers to a condition where individuals or households are unable to meet the <\/span><b>minimum basic necessities required for survival<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as adequate food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare. It is measured against a <\/span><b>fixed and universal poverty line<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as the <\/span><b>International Poverty Line (IPL) of $2.15\/day (World Bank) based on 2017 Purchasing Power Parity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Relative Poverty:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Relative poverty is defined as a condition where individuals have <\/span><b>significantly lower income or resources compared to the average or median income<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the society they live in. It highlights <\/span><b>economic inequality<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as people may meet basic needs but remain deprived relative to societal standards.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"tb-color\" style=\"text-align: center;\" colspan=\"3\"><b>Types of Poverty Absolute vs. Relative<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>Aspect<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><b>Absolute Poverty<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><b>Relative Poverty<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Definition<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of basic necessities (fixed, universal)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Income\/resources inadequate relative to society<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Measurement<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fixed threshold (e.g., $2.15\/day &#8211; WB IPL)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compared to median income<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Survival and subsistence<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inequality and social disparity<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Policy Implications<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide essential needs &amp; services<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce inequality &amp; improve distribution<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trends<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stable unless standards change<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Changes with growth &amp; income distribution<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n        <div class=\"recap-section\">\n            <span class=\"recap-label\">Read More |<\/span>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/differences-between-absolute-poverty-and-relative-poverty\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"recap-link\">\n                Differences Between Absolute Poverty and Relative Poverty            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n        \n<h2><b>Poverty Estimation in India: Methods and Committees<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty estimation in India is carried out primarily by <\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/niti-aayog\/\" target=\"_blank\">NITI Aayog<\/a> (earlier Planning Commission)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> using household consumption expenditure data from the <\/span><b>NSSO under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These estimates determine the official poverty line, which helps identify beneficiaries for welfare schemes and assess long-term socio-economic trends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ministry of Rural Development conducts the BPL Census for identifying poor households for specific schemes. India does not have a single fixed poverty line; instead, it has evolved with committees adapting to changing economic realities and nutritional standards.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Methods of Poverty Estimation<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><b> Calorie-Based Method (Pre-1993)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adopted before the Lakdawala Committee.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty line defined by <\/span><b>minimum calorie intake requirements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2400 rural, 2100 urban).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did not capture spending on health, education, housing, or inflation accurately.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><b> Consumption Expenditure Method (Post-1993)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shifted from pure calorie intake to a broader consumption-based approach.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Captures household spending on food and non-food essentials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Committees refine the basket of goods, inflation indices, and regional variations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><b> Mixed Reference Period (MRP) Method<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Used by NSSO: combines 30-day recall for some items and 365-day recall for infrequent purchases.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides a more accurate picture of consumption.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><b> Modified Mixed Reference Period (MMRP) Method (Post-2011)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Uses 7-day, 30-day, and 365-day recall depending on items.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Became the basis for more recent committee recommendations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Poverty Estimation Committees in India<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><b> Alagh Committee (1979)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First systematic poverty estimation post-independence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Used calorie-based norms:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural: 2400 calories<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban: 2100 calories<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developed a poverty line basket (PLB) of goods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty Line was derived from the expenditure needed to meet these calorie norms.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><b> Lakdawala Committee (1993)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Continued calorie norms but refined methodology.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did not update the basket of goods; relied on the same base year.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recommended poverty estimation based on state-specific poverty lines.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MPCE Poverty Line:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural: \u20b9328<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban: \u20b9454 (1993-94 prices)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><b> Tendulkar Committee (2009)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Major methodological shift.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abandoned calorie norms and adopted a broader consumption approach.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Included spending on health, education, clothing, shelter, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recommended uniform poverty line basket across rural and urban areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty Line (2004-05 prices):<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural: \u20b9672<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban: \u20b9859<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Significantly increased the estimated number of poor in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><b> Rangarajan Committee (2012-2014)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reviewed Tendulkar\u2019s method and increased thresholds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Used Modified Mixed Reference Period (MMRP).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Higher poverty lines:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural: \u20b9972<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban: \u20b91,407 (2011-12 prices)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resulted in a higher poverty headcount than Tendulkar.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Causes of Poverty in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><b> Low Agricultural Productivity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agricultural output remains low because of fragmented landholdings and limited irrigation over 55% of India\u2019s farmland is still rainfed. For example, states like Bihar and Jharkhand, dominated by small and marginal farmers, consistently report low yields compared to Punjab and Haryana.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Population Explosion: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India adds nearly 17 million people every year, creating intense pressure on food, housing, and employment systems. States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with some of the highest population growth rates, also show some of the highest poverty levels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Unemployment and Underemployment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s unemployment rate has fluctuated between 6%-8% in recent years (PLFS), but the bigger issue is informal employment, where nearly <\/span><b>90% of workers are engaged in low-paying<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, insecure jobs. Youth unemployment remains high, especially among educated youth over <\/span><b>18% urban youth unemployed <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(PLFS 2023).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Inefficient Resource Utilisation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Disguised unemployment in agriculture leads to low productivity as too many workers share limited work. Such labour underutilisation prevents households from earning sustainable incomes. Agriculture employs <\/span><b>45% of the workforce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but <\/span><b>contributes only 14-16% to GDP,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reflecting major inefficiencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Price Rise (Inflation): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Persistent inflation reduces the purchasing power of the poor, especially when incomes don\u2019t rise proportionately. Essential goods like food and fuel become less affordable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Low Rate of Economic Development:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For decades after independence, slow industrialisation and state-controlled economic structures limited income growth and job creation. This delayed large-scale poverty reduction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Lack of Capital and Entrepreneurship:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Limited access to credit, inadequate financial literacy, and weak entrepreneurial ecosystems inhibit investment in small businesses and agriculture. This restricts job creation and income opportunities. Only <\/span><b>10% of MSMEs in India have access to formal credit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; the remaining depend on informal, high-interest borrowing (MSME Ministry).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b> Social Inequalities and Structural Barriers: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caste discrimination, patriarchal norms, unequal inheritance, and social exclusion restrict access to land, education, and employment. Such structural barriers perpetuate intergenerational poverty. <\/span>SCs and STs have an MPI (Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index) significantly higher than the national average, 32% for SCs and 43% for STs (NITI Aayog MPI 2023).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"9\">\n<li><b> Climatic and Environmental Vulnerability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Frequent floods, droughts, cyclones, and other disasters disrupt agriculture and livelihoods in vulnerable states, pushing households into repeated poverty cycles.<\/span><b> Bihar and Assam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> face severe floods almost annually, affecting over 10 million people each year, damaging crops and homes (IMD &amp; NDMA).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><b>Trends in Poverty Reduction Post-Liberalisation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Post-1991 economic liberalisation significantly accelerated poverty reduction in India by boosting growth, increasing employment opportunities, and expanding social welfare schemes. Over the years, both consumption poverty and multidimensional poverty have shown a consistent decline, supported by targeted government interventions and rising rural development indicators.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sharp Decline in Poverty Ratio (1993\u20132011):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Poverty fell from 45.3% in 1993\u201394 to 21.9% in 2011\u201312 (Planning Commission). <\/span><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">133 million people were lifted out of poverty between 2004\u201305 and 2011\u201312 alone.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Decline in Extreme Poverty as per <a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/world-bank\/\" target=\"_blank\">World Bank<\/a> (2022 Report): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extreme poverty in India reduced to less than 3% by 2019. <\/span><b>Example:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> WB calculated poverty using the international poverty line of $2.15\/day PPP.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Significant Drop in Multidimensional Poverty (MPI):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India saw a 55% reduction in MPI poverty between 2005\u201306 and 2019\u201321 (UNDP &amp; NITI Aayog). <\/span><b>Example:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Over 415 million people exited multidimensional poverty in 15 years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rural Poverty Reduction Accelerated Post-2005: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural poverty declined faster due to schemes like MGNREGA, PMGSY, and NRLM. <\/span><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural poverty dropped from 50.1% in 1993\u201394 to 25.7% in 2011\u201312.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Urban Poverty Also Declined Steadily: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban poverty fell from 31.8% in 1993-94 to 13.7% in 2011-12. <\/span><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Growth in construction and service sectors pulled large numbers into informal urban jobs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rise in Real Wages Post-2005 Contributed to Poverty Reduction: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Real agricultural wages increased by ~3% annually from 2007-2013.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Food Security Measures Reduced Extreme Deprivation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schemes like TPDS reforms, NFSA 2013, and mid-day meals reduced hunger and child malnutrition. <\/span><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NFSA covers 75% rural and 50% urban population with subsidised food grains.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Expansion of Social Welfare and Direct Benefit Transfers: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JAM trinity (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile) reduced leakages and improved cash assistance. <\/span><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over \u20b92.3 lakh crore transferred via DBT in 2021-22.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Rural vs. Urban Poverty in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural and urban poverty in India differ significantly in terms of causes, intensity, and living conditions, though both reflect deep structural inequalities. Rural areas experience poverty driven mainly by agricultural distress, while urban poverty is shaped by informal employment and high living costs.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over <\/span><b>70% of India\u2019s poor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> still reside in rural areas, showing the uneven spread of development and the continued dominance of agriculture-based livelihoods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agriculture employs <\/span><b>~45% of the workforce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but contributes only <\/span><b>~15% of GDP<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, resulting in low rural wages and pushing many households into chronic poverty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Urban poverty remains lower in percentage terms but intense in living conditions, as <\/span><b>35% of urban residents<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> live in slums with overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited social security.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Average monthly per capita consumption is significantly lower in rural areas: <\/span><b>Rural \u20b93,773 vs. Urban \u20b96,459<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (NSO 2022\u201323), highlighting persistent income and affordability gaps.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access to healthcare and education remains poorer in rural regions, where shortages of doctors, teachers, and facilities reinforce long-term poverty traps.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inflation impacts the rural poor more severely, especially food inflation; even a <\/span><b>10% rise in food prices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can push vulnerable rural households below the poverty line.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Poverty and Unemployment Linkages<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty and Unemployment in India are deeply interconnected, forming a cycle where one reinforces the other. High unemployment reduces household income, pushing families into poverty, while poverty limits access to education, skills, and opportunities, leading to structural unemployment.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unemployment reduces household income and consumption capacity, directly increasing poverty; for example, <\/span><b>India\u2019s youth unemployment crossed 18% (2023)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, disproportionately affecting poor households.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty limits access to quality education and skill training, resulting in low employability; <\/span><b>ASER surveys show ~25% of rural children in Class 5 cannot read Class 2 text<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, indicating future unemployment risks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India faces widespread <\/span><b>disguised unemployment in agriculture<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where too many workers share limited farm output, keeping rural wages low and perpetuating poverty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Underemployment and informal work dominate the labour market, with <\/span><b>~92% of workers in informal jobs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, often earning below minimum wages and lacking job security.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poor households lack access to credit and assets, preventing them from starting enterprises, which keeps them dependent on low-paying casual wage labour.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long-term poverty pushes people into vulnerable work like construction, domestic work, and street vending, where wages fluctuate and social security is minimal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Economic shocks such as the pandemic hit informal workers the hardest, as seen in 2020 when <\/span><b>over 120 million informal workers lost jobs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, driving millions back into poverty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty leads to poor nutrition and ill health, lowering productivity and employability; for example, <\/span><b>India\u2019s 35.5% child stunting rate<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> indicates future labour force weakness.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Impact of Poverty on Health, Education, and Human Development<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty deeply impacts health, education, and overall human development by limiting access to basic services, nutritious food, and learning opportunities. Poor households often face a cycle of illness, low learning outcomes, and reduced productivity, which restricts their earning potential and further reinforces poverty.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poor families cannot afford quality healthcare, leading to untreated illnesses and high mortality; for example, <\/span><b>63% of out-of-pocket health expenditure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is paid directly by households, pushing millions into debt.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malnutrition is concentrated among poor households, reducing physical and cognitive development; India\u2019s <\/span><b>child stunting rate is 35.5% (NFHS-5)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, disproportionately affecting low-income groups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty increases vulnerability to diseases like TB, malaria, and diarrhoea due to poor sanitation, unsafe water, and crowded living conditions. <\/span><b>50% of rural households still rely on non-piped water<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Education outcomes decline due to poverty-driven absenteeism, child labour, and lack of learning resources; <\/span><b>over 3.2% of children aged 6\u201314 are out of school<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, mostly from poor families (UNESCO).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poor nutrition and lack of healthcare impair learning ability, resulting in weak foundational skills; <\/span><b>ASER 2023 shows 25% of Class 5 children cannot read Class 2 text<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poverty forces children into labour to support family income, reducing school attendance; India has <\/span><b>10.1 million child labourers (Census 2011)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, mainly in poor states.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Government\u2019s Programmes to Reduce Poverty in India<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Government of India implements a wide range of poverty alleviation programmes focusing on employment generation, social security, food security, housing, and financial inclusion. These schemes aim to reduce multidimensional poverty by improving livelihoods, ensuring basic services, and creating safety nets for vulnerable groups.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/mgnrega\/\" target=\"_blank\">MGNREGA<\/a> (2005)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides 100 days of guaranteed wage employment, reducing rural distress; it generated <\/span><b>3.2 billion person-days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in 2022\u201323, offering a crucial safety net for rural poor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> promotes self-employment through SHGs; over <\/span><b>8.7 crore women<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been mobilised into SHGs, improving rural incomes and credit access.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (PMAY-Gramin &amp; PMAY-Urban)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides pucca houses to poor families; PMAY has sanctioned <\/span><b>over 2.3 crore rural houses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>1.2 crore urban houses<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ensures free foodgrains to all NFSA beneficiaries; it benefits <\/span><b>81.35 crore people<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, preventing extreme poverty during crises.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>National Food Security Act (2013)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides subsidised foodgrains to <\/span><b>67% of India\u2019s population<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, improving nutrition and reducing hunger-driven poverty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/pm-kisan-samman-nidhi-yojana\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>PM-KISAN<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offers \u20b96,000 annually to farmers, supporting small and marginal families; <\/span><b>11 crore farmers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are beneficiaries, reducing income volatility.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides health insurance up to \u20b95 lakh for poor families, reducing catastrophic health expenditure; it covers <\/span><b>over 50 crore people<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Atal Pension Yojana (APY)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> gives old-age income security to informal workers; over <\/span><b>5.6 crore subscribers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, many from low-income households, have enrolled.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>PM-JDY (Jan Dhan Yojana)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> promotes financial inclusion, enabling direct benefit transfers; over <\/span><b>51 crore bank accounts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> opened, reducing leakages in welfare schemes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides free LPG connections to poor women; <\/span><b>9.6 crore connections<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have reduced indoor pollution and improved health.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana\u2013National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> enhances urban poor\u2019s skills and employment; over <\/span><b>20 lakh beneficiaries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> trained under various components.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Saubhagya Scheme<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ensures electricity connections to poor households; more than <\/span><b>2.8 crore homes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have been electrified.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> improved sanitation access, reducing health-related poverty; rural sanitation coverage rose from <\/span><b>39% (2014)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to nearly <\/span><b>100% (2023)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides nutrition and preschool education to children and mothers, reducing intergenerational poverty; <\/span><b>13.9 lakh Anganwadi centres<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provide services.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Skill India Mission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> enhances employability for poor youth; more than <\/span><b>1.4 crore candidates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> trained under PMKVY.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> enables foodgrain portability across states, benefitting migrants and reducing urban poverty-related food insecurity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Role of MGNREGA in Poverty Alleviation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is one of India\u2019s most significant anti-poverty programmes, offering 100 days of guaranteed wage employment to rural households. By providing an assured safety net during lean agricultural seasons, it reduces distress migration, stabilises incomes, and strengthens rural livelihoods.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/mgnrega\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>MGNREGA<\/strong><\/a> ensures <\/span><b>minimum income security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by guaranteeing 100 days of employment; in <\/span><b>2022\u201323, over 3.2 billion person-days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of work were generated, directly supporting rural poor households.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It raises rural wages by increasing bargaining power; studies by ILO and NSS show <\/span><b>agricultural real wages rose significantly between 2007\u20132013<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, partly due to MGNREGA\u2019s wage floor.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scheme reduces <\/span><b>seasonal migration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by providing local employment opportunities during lean agricultural months; states like MP and Rajasthan show reduced distress outmigration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A large share of its beneficiaries are women, enhancing gender empowerment; <\/span><b>women\u2019s participation consistently exceeds 50%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reaching 55\u201357% in several states.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It enhances social inclusion, with strong participation of <\/span><b>SC\/ST households<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, who form nearly <\/span><b>40% of total person-days worked<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> annually.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During crises (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic), MGNREGA acted as an economic stabiliser; <\/span><b>the highest-ever 389 crore person-days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> were generated in 2020\u201321 to support migrant and rural workers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Women and Poverty: The Feminisation of Poverty<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The feminisation of poverty refers to the growing trend of women experiencing higher levels of poverty than men, due to structural inequalities in employment, wages, education, healthcare, and access to resources. Women often face multiple layers of discrimination: economic, social, and cultural, which reduce their opportunities and increase vulnerability.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women have <\/span><b>lower labour force participation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (around <\/span><b>28% in 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, PLFS), restricting their income-earning opportunities and increasing their risk of poverty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are concentrated in informal, low-paid, and insecure jobs; <\/span><b>over 90% of working women<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are in the informal sector, where wages are below minimum levels and job security is minimal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wage inequality remains high; women earn <\/span><b>20\u201330% less<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than men for similar work (ILO estimates), limiting their long-term financial stability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women shoulder a disproportionate burden of <\/span><b>unpaid care and domestic work<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, averaging <\/span><b>5\u20136 hours per day<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, leaving them less time for paid employment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women-led SHGs under NRLM play a major role in reducing feminisation of poverty, <\/span><b>8.7 crore women mobilised into SHGs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have improved income, credit access, and entrepreneurship.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schemes like PMUY, PMMVY, PMJDY, MGNREGA (with &gt;55% women participation) have contributed to reducing gendered poverty, but gaps remain in economic freedom and asset creation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>SDGs and India\u2019s Progress on Poverty Eradication<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s poverty reduction efforts are closely aligned with <\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/upsc-exam\/sustainable-development-goals\/\" target=\"_blank\">Sustainable Development Goal<\/a> 1: No Poverty<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which aims to end extreme poverty by 2030. Over the past decade, India has made steady progress through targeted social protection schemes, rural employment programmes, and direct benefit delivery reforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Significant Decline in <\/b><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/multidimensional-poverty-index\/\" target=\"_blank\">Multidimensional Poverty<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: According to NITI Aayog\u2019s <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National MPI Report 2024<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India lifted around <\/span><b>24 crore people out of multidimensional poverty between 2013\u201314 and 2022\u201323<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing accelerated progress in nutrition, housing, sanitation, and access to clean cooking fuel.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improvement in Social Indicators<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: India\u2019s MPI dropped from <\/span><b>0.117 in 2015\u201316 to 0.066 in 2019\u201321<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, driven by better health outcomes (like reduced child mortality), improved school attendance, and wider electricity coverage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Expansion of Social Protection Schemes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Schemes such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/pm-kisan-samman-nidhi-yojana\/\" target=\"_blank\"><b>PM-KISAN<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>PM-JAY<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>Ujjwala Yojana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>PMAY-Gramin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have enhanced income security and basic living<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">standards, reducing both consumption-based and multidimensional poverty.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Efficiency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: DBT has enabled transparent delivery of subsidies to over <\/span><b>50 crore beneficiaries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, cutting leakages and ensuring that welfare benefits reach the poorest households efficiently.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Progress towards SDG 1.3 (Social Security Coverage)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: India has expanded coverage through schemes like <\/span><b>Atal Pension Yojana<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>PM-JAY<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, providing financial risk protection to vulnerable families.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Challenges Ahead<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Despite progress, issues such as rising urban poverty pockets, jobless growth, and rural distress still pose obstacles to achieving SDG-1 by 2030.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s fight against poverty requires a multi-dimensional, growth-oriented, and inclusive strategy that addresses structural inequalities and strengthens human capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthen Labour-Intensive Job Creation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Boost sectors like manufacturing, agro-processing, textiles, and construction to generate large-scale employment. For example, labour-intensive manufacturing accounts for less than <\/span><b>20% of total employment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, showing the need for expansion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Enhance Quality of Education and Skills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Improve foundational learning and vocational training to make the workforce job-ready. ASER 2023 shows <\/span><b>over 25% of rural youth lack basic employability skills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, highlighting the need for skill-linked poverty reduction.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Expand Social Protection Coverage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Build resilient safety nets including universal health coverage, pensions, and insurance for informal workers. Over <\/span><b>80% of India\u2019s workforce is informal<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, making targeted protection essential.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Improve Agricultural Productivity and Farmers\u2019 Incomes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Promote MSP reforms, irrigation expansion, FPOs, and post-harvest infrastructure to raise rural incomes. Agriculture still employs <\/span><b>around 45% of the workforce<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but contributes only <\/span><b>15-17% of GDP<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Strengthen Urban Poverty Alleviation Policies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Implement affordable housing, skilling, and social security for migrant and informal workers. Urban poverty pockets grew during Covid-19, revealing gaps in existing programmes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Promote Women-Centric Development<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Improve women\u2019s workforce participation, credit access, and asset ownership. India\u2019s female LFPR, though rising, is still around <\/span><b>37%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, much lower than global averages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Use Technology to Improve Targeting and Delivery<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Expand DBT, Aadhaar-linked benefits, and digital monitoring to reduce leakage. JAM trinity has already saved <\/span><b>over \u20b92.7 lakh crore in leakages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, indicating strong potential.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understand poverty in India, its forms, causes, and impact, along with major government initiatives and long-term strategies for inclusive development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":74155,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[786],"tags":[1063],"class_list":{"0":"post-74490","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-studies","8":"tag-poverty-in-india","9":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74490"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90805,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74490\/revisions\/90805"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}