Essay on Global Issue

Submitted By danhnguyen10073
Words: 1343
Pages: 6

Danh Nguyen
Dykes
World History
June 10, 2012
Poverty in India: Solving Poverty in India
Although it is known to be the world’s largest democracy, India is accountable for one-third of the world’s poor. According to an Oxford research, more than half of India’s population of over a billion is living with less than one dollar a day. One of the main causes of poverty in India is the massive number of unemployment and housing shortage. No jobs and opportunities mean no money, food nor shelter for its people. Currently, the population in India estimated in 2012 has been accounted to 1.22 billion, compared to 350 million in 1947. Since the population has an average increased rate of 2.2% per year, the demand for more consumption goods are considerable. Of that total population, there are 645 million people considered living in “poverty.” In India, poverty refers to people who don’t have basic human needs such as clean and fresh water; nutrition; health care; education; clothing and shelter. In the website “Fight Poverty,” poverty is hunger; lack of food; being sick but not able to see a doctor; and not having access to school or the outside world. In the article “Rural Poverty in India,” farmers and casual workers comprise the majority of poor rural population. Within these numbers of people, women are underprivileged. About 300 million young people ages 13 to 35 live in rural areas are forced to leave their homes many times a year without the skills and education to compete in India’s growing economy. In her article “10 Main Causes of Poverty in India,” Karuna states that one of the political factors that leave India in poverty and food scarcity is because of the British’s reduction of Indian economy to a colonial state. This is vital because they exploited the natural resources to suit their interests and weaken the industrial base of Indian economy. Furthermore, poverty comes from poor production of goods and services that have to be distributed to the huge number of population in India. This means that supplies and foods are limited, and as a result, many are starving because of the lack of food and nutrients. Many thought that the government is to blame. Some economic experts claim that government programs such as welfare in India keeps people in poverty, because it allows people to remain in the lifestyle without having anything in return. As a result, fewer goods are sold internationally because many are not working, and it leads to enormous poverty numbers in the country. India is an ancient civilization with a proud history. Prior to Independence, India suffered from numerous, destructive food shortage and crisis. For this reason, poverty reductions were the main objectives of India's founding fathers. There are many efforts and programs that are initiated primarily to reduce poverty in India. The government develops many programs to help distribute productions and goods to the poor. In the informative article “India: Policies to Reduce Poverty and Accelerate Sustainable Development,” the World Bank says that uplifting the poor and integrating them into the mainstream is a recurrent theme of India's Five Year Plans. The Five Years Plan is the most effective anti-poverty program in India today. Its objectives are to create more than 70 million new work opportunities; to raise real wage rate of unskilled workers by 20 percent; and increase literacy rate for persons of age 7 years or above to 85%. On the health categories, the program ensures to provide clean drinking water for all by 2009; and to reduce malnutrition among children of age group 0–3 to half its present level. Another important initiative is the program called “Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana” (PMGY). It was introduced with the objective of focusing to improve the quality of lives of people living in rural areas in five critical components: primary health; primary education; housing; rural roads; and drinking water and nutrition. The program aims