INDIA is behind Nepal, Bangladesh and Rwanda in
poverty reduction, according to an Oxford University study released recently. The study, based on research in 22 countries, measured poverty through a Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) which looked at indicators like health, education and living standards. The study does not throw up a single formula for decreasing poverty.
Bangladesh improved on sanitation and school attendance; Nepal scored on nutrition, electricity and child mortality; and Rwanda excelled in sanitation and water. At the current rate of progress these countries can eradicate poverty as assessed by the MPI in 20 years, while it will take India 41 years to do so.
Within India the best-performing states are Kerala and Andhra Pradesh and the worst are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal. The Oxford study puts a question mark on the efforts of the Centre and states to lift the poor out of poverty. Opinion is divided on India’s definition of poverty. Earlier, it was assessed on the basis of the amount spent to consume a certain number of calories, which put the number of people below the poverty line at 27.5 per cent of the population. Later, a committee set up under economist Suresh D. Tendulkar calculated poverty taking into account the spending on food, health and education. This put the number of the poor in India at 37.2 per cent, which fell to 29.8 per cent by 2011.
There has been some reduction in poverty in recent years but not enough. After the 1991 economic reforms the GDP growth rate has accelerated but so have income disparities. India may be shining, Bharat is not. For inclusive growth the Centre and states focus more on handouts to the poor than spending on water, nutrition, affordable houses, education, health and employment generation. Systemic leakages ensure a large part of freebies do not reach the poor. The PDS has failed to deliver in many parts of the country. Malnutrition persists though food rots in the open. Focus must shift from populism to over-all human development if India is to emerge as a genuine economic power. (Courtesy: The Tribune) |
