– Vivian Chieh & Esma Adiguzel
It is saddening to know that more than 29.8% of India’s population still lives below the poverty line, meaning more than 29.8% of 1.35 billion is still struggling between their haves and have-nots. The efforts made so far have been successful, but a need for more action to eradicate poverty in India persists. Today is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and with this year’s theme, we turn our eye to acting together to achieve social and environmental justice for all.
An important question to ask is what, are the existing standards of poverty? People living in poverty experience many interrelated deprivations that perpetuate their poverty, and these fit under the categories of social and environmental injustices of poverty. Individuals or families who are living in poverty lack the resources, living conditions, and usual amenities, including:
- Home amenities
- Housing facilities
- Conditions and security of work
- Clothing
- Nutrition
- Education
- Recreation
- Health
- Social relations
Some groups of the Indian population remain persistently impoverished. Below are the reasons why India is continually fighting poverty:
- The pressure of population growth rising at a rapid speed proves hindrance towards economic development.
- Poverty is a reflection of unemployment and underemployment in India.
- Capital deficiency also is a hindrance to development. Such as lack of infrastructure, improper use of natural resources, outdated social institutions, and lack of proper industrialization
- A price increase has widened the gap of society between the poor and the rich.
- India is an underdeveloped country, which means that they have a low rate of growth, and their net national income is low compared to the size of the population.
There are still several areas for improvement for India to provide a more equally shared opportunity to its population. With the lockdown patrol due to the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s poverty levels are rising dramatically. Income and job losses are causing millions to join the ranks of the poor. Reverse migration is apparent, where millions are moving from their places of work in cities to their native villages, causing an immense humanitarian crisis. The pandemic will push an estimated 71 million people into the clutches of poverty, and the worst-case scenario will skyrocket this number to 100 million.
The growth rates of poverty are higher in Tamil Nadu, so the Communities living in poverty are marginalized. We plead you to familiarize yourself with the poverty circumstances around the world and enable organizations like SHAPE to take more necessary actions to eradicate poverty!
SHAPE 