Debate on Poverty

Living with Chronic Hunger, but not poor

Sachin Kumar Jain

The issue of poverty has been more challenged by its own definition and strategy of avoidance adopted by the State and Central government. It worth mentioning that as per the latest definition by economic indicators, those families living in rural areas spending Re. 11 per person per day and in urban areas Re. 19 per person per day are considered to be poor. There is no need to define how a person can survive on this expenditure criterion. On these points Government of India reaches to a conclusion that poverty in India is decreasing. Actually Poverty is not decreasing but policy makers and some policy makers shortening the poverty line, which now should be called Starvation Line. On the basis of these criterias poverty in Madhya Pradesh has gone down to 32 percent in 2004-05 from 37.43 percent in 2002. Interestingly Central Government decides the level of poverty and leaves no space for State government in discussion, and this non-coordination creates havoc between Central-State relations. As per the Government of India 41.25 Lac families are in BPL list but Madhya Pradesh Government has already distributed BPL cards to 64 lac families. Madhya Pradesh Government is saying that poverty in Madhya Pradesh is increasing and state needs more support for poverty eradication programs, but GoI is not at all ready to accept any argument on poverty. Anyway State Government will have to fight for its political compulsions. In forthcoming elections it is going to play an important role. Now BJP government had to take this issue forward, not only politically but also theoretically. Establishment of Rajya Samanya Nirdhan Varg Kalyan Ayog proves that politics is moving ahead. In recent meeting of this ayog leaves one very serious question unresolved. Present political ideologues agree that present definition is wrong because general category is being left out of it and income along with the essential facilities should be the main indicators for poverty. It is welcome shift from the expenditure based poverty definition to income based poverty, but still what about the socially excluded groups??
Actually there is a wide range of social and vulnerability factors, which define the concept of acute poverty and need to be considered for a more realistic identification of the poor. The below poverty line politics does not consider social marginalization as an important aspect of identifying the poor. As a result, some major categories of people like persons with disability (mental or physical), who very often find it difficult to earn their livelihood and thus fulfill their basic needs, are not considered as poor. Further, communities who have been forced to live a life devoid of self-esteem and dignity – manual scavengers and communities involved in caste-based prostitution – are denied the right to be categorized as social poor.
Nathu, a mentally disabled tribal, resides in Pati village in Badwani district. The hutment he stays in is so small that one would have to think twice and be careful while turning around. His wife who finds work as a labourer for subsistence often has to forgo work to take care of her mentally challenged husband. Struggling hard for survival, starvation has become part of daily life. He could not be ensured a place on the BPL list on the basis of his disability. With the Supreme Court’s order that, families having any mentally or physically disabled member be given the benefit of the Antyodaya scheme (scheme which provides foodgrains at cheaper rates), Nathu applied for the same but did not attach a certificate proving his disability, leading to rejection of the application. Now Old age Pension schemes has been expanded to all persons of 65 years or more and living below the poverty line, but recent study in Bundelkhand by Madhya Pradesh Apda Niwaran Manch says that 38 percent old age person will be deprived of, they are poor but not included in BPL list. Supreme Court of India in its order dated 2nd May 2003 said all the Primitive Tribal Groups, Mentally and Physically Challenged, Single women, Widow, Old aged and Pregnant –Lactating women should be considered poorest of poor and be provided most subsidized food. But still these groups could not get space in poverty indicators.
According to government records, out of a total 11.31 lakh disabled people in Madhya Pradesh, 8.9 lakh (78 per cent) live below the poverty line, but only 3.8 lakh disabled are receiving a social security pension. It is clear that the government does not consider disability as an indicator of poverty and the evidence of this is the recent BPL survey list, which has set various indicators to identify the families living below the poverty line. It is surprising that the list gives weightage to the possession of two to three pair of clothes, fans, cycles, etc, but disability is not addressed in any form.
Everyday we come across families and children living on the roadside in the poorest conditions, but we seldom give a thought to it. In Madhya Pradesh, 3.5 million families live in small huts and painful conditions, 55,000 families live on the pavements and roadside but are deprived of any benefit from the government schemes. Their fault is that they reside on the pavement and therefore have no address, and hence cannot be allotted ration cards. This section is one, which experiences extreme natural calamities and is yet neglected. In such a critical situation these helpless children purchase food, beg or search for food in the garbage to fill their stomachs.
The problems faced by leprosy and HIV patients are similar. On the one hand, they are struggling with their illness to survive and, on the other hand, they are ostracized by society. This makes their survival difficult – as they do not get livelihood support. There is a need to be more practical on poverty indicators; State has to be more transparent and un-biased towards the social poor.