Lok Sabha elections are around-the-corner and politicians have already started talking about ‘poor of the country’. Congress has come up with its NYAY scheme to woo them. However, a recent UNDP report further highlights the condition of people living at the margins of economy in India.
Actually, Global MPI (Multidimensional Poverty Index) 2018 report has been released which has been prepared by UNDP and Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. According to this report, India stands to be a country with most poor people in the list of 105 countries studied for report. According to it, India had 364 million poor in the year 2016/16. This number is highest among other countries. This report is based on data collected over a period of 10 years from 2005/6 to 2015/16.
It is to note that the report also highlights that India has drastically improved the condition of poor. There has been 271 million people who have moved out of poverty in India. This might be called a positive gain. Still, India became independent in 1947. And even after so many years, politicians have been unable to deliver their promises to the poor.
Adding to that, there is huge inequality in India if one looks at the distribution of income. Oxfam released its report on this recently. According to that report, wealth of 1% richest of country increased by 39% while that of 50% poorest of country increased by merely 3%.
These poor come from various classes, be it labourers or farmers. They have been constantly struggling to generate proper income for themselves and their families. The report also points out that over half of the multidimensional poor in India live in four states- Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Also, the parties who were in power from 2005/6 to 2015/16 were Congress and BJP. Now, the question is will they work to reduce the adverse conditions which don’t allow everyone to undergo development.
