Poverty Alleviation programmes since Independence

 

  • Since the early 1950s, the government of India has initiated, sustained, and refined various planning schemes to help the poor attain self-sufficiency in acquisition of food and overcome hunger and poverty
  • All the Five year plans introduced in India, had elements in them to reduce Poverty; of which the following Five year plans(FYP) had explicit provisions in them aimed at Poverty alleviation:
    • Fifth Plan (1974–1978)
      • It laid stress on employment, poverty alleviation (Garibi Hatao), and justice
      • It also assured a minimum income of Rs. 40 per person per month calculated at 1972-73 prices
    • Seventh Plan (1985–1990)
      • The thrust areas of the Seventh Five-Year Plan were: social justice, removal of oppression of the weak, using modern technology, agricultural development, anti-poverty programmes, full supply of food, clothing, and shelter, increasing productivity of small- and large-scale farmers, and making India an independent economy
      • From perspective of Poverty, it aimed at improving the living standards of the poor with a significant reduction in the incidence of poverty.
    • Eighth Plan (1992–1997)
      • The major objectives included, controlling population growth, poverty reduction, employment generation, etc.
    • Ninth Plan (1997–2002)
      • It offered strong support to the social spheres of the country in an effort to achieve the complete elimination of poverty
    • Tenth Plan (2002–2007)
      • One of the main objectives of the plan, was Reduction of poverty rate by 5% by 2007
    • Eleventh Plan (2007–2012)
      • It aimed at Rapid and Inclusive growth(Poverty reduction)
    • Twelfth Plan (2012–2017)
      • The government intended to reduce poverty by 10% during the tenure of the plan