describe current government strategy of poverty alleviation
Answers
Answer:
The government strategy of poverty alleviation is based on two approaches.
(i) Economic growth promotion, and
(ii) Directed anti-poverty schemes.
Economic growth helps in creating opportunities and gives resources required for investing in thorough human development.
To help the poor take advantage of economic growth, the government of the day has created many anti-poverty schemes that can help in eradicating poverty.
Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP), National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY), National Food for Work Programme (NFWP), Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY), Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY), and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) are a few anti-poverty schemes run by the government.
However, all these schemes seem to be an eyewash and in spite of having good intentions for these schemes, the benefits does not seem to have fully reached the poor due to a callous approach and corruption within the government.
Poverty alleviation only seems to be a political plank for the government to win votes and nothing else.
The poor are getting poorer while the rich are getting richer through the efforts of the government.
Answer:
The current government strategy of poverty alleviation is based on two planks:
(i) Promotion of economic growth
(ii) Targeted anti-poverty programmes
(i) Promotion of economic growth: Till the early eighties, there were little per capita income growth and not much reduction in poverty. Since the eighties, India's economic growth has been one of the fastest in the world. The growth rate jumped from an average of about 3.5 per cent a year in the 1970s to about 6 per cent during the 1980s and 1990s. The higher growth rates have helped significantly in the reduction of poverty by widening opportunities.
(ii) Targeted anti-poverty programmes: The government has started several anti-poverty schemes. Some of them are worth mentioning: National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005 - The Act provides 100 days assured employment every year to every rural household in 200districts.
National Food for Work Programme (NFWP) - This scheme was launched in 2004 in 150 most backward districts of the country. The programme is open to all rural poor who are in need of wage employment and desire to do manual unskilled work.
Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) 1993 - The aim of the programme is to create self-employment opportunities for educated unemployed youth in rural areas and small towns.
Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) 1995 - The aim of this scheme is the same as Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana.
Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yozana (SGSY) 1999.
Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yozana (PMGY) 2000.
Antyodaya Anna Yozana (AAY).