Question

We have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level (United Nations, Millennium Declaration, September 8, 2000). The number of people living in poverty is increasing; there is concern as to whether developing countries can meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals of reducing the number by half by 2015. The World Bank’s World Development Report 2000/2001 notes that poverty is still the single most important problem in developing countries.

a) Economic growth is said to be a necessary but not a sufficient condition to eradicate absolute poverty and reduce inequality. What is the reasoning behind this argument?

b) What are the principal economic characteristics of poverty groups? What do these characteristics suggest about the possible nature of a poverty-focus development strategy?

c) Explain various development strategies for long-term poverty reduction, supporting your answer with specific country examples.

Answer 1

hi friend,

a) Along with economic growth there should be infrastructure development,more employment opportunities,women empowerment,population control,better education ,equal distribution of income, stability in price, public sector reform ,better health care,agricultural and rural development. Only then absolute proverty and inequality will reduced

b)Principle economic characteristics of proverty groups are unemployment ,under utilization of resources, religion disparities, socio cultural factors, high growth rate of population, low economic growth rate ,traditional technology etc

proverty focus development statergy should concentrate in economic development which include increase productivity of land and labour and empowerment of women, population control, development of education, removal of personal disabilities ,comprehensive social security measures.

c)statergies for long term proverty reduction are the following

1. population control - in india the national family planning program of 1951gave good results    2.investing in human capital-providing clean drinking water, education ,health care, foreign trade orentiation,  employment oppurtunities by starting labour incentive industries .National rural employment program and jawarhar rozgar yojana etc .    3. rural infrastucture development-which include transportation , communication , marketing etc 4. participatory development activities-poor people involve in various development projects in local area so that they take and manage activities    5. equal distribution of income 6.public distribution system to improved 7.development of agriculture-in Bhutan the role of agriculture hydro power project and finance mechanism like micro credit program lead to progess of that country.