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Unit 7: Essay Writing (Short Essays)

poor. However, in spite of these efforts, the problem of poverty continued to exist. The benefits did not Notes
percolate to the lower evels because of adverse institutional framework. With the Fifth Plan, poverty
alleviation came to be accepted as one of the principal objectives of economic planing. The strategy of
direct assault on poverty through ural development and rural employment programmes was first
adopted in the 1970s. The Sixth Plan sought to alleviate poverty through some pecific measures apart
from relying on the overall higher rate of growth of the economy. The Integrated Rural Development
Programme (IRDP) which was initially started in 1978-79 was not very effective as a poverty alleviation
measure. It was restructured and renamed as Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) in April 1999
and its allied programmes, viz TRYSEM, DWCRA, SITRA, GKY and MWS were merged with it. Jawahar
Rozgar Yojana (JRY) was restructured and renamed as Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY) in April
1999. The Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) and the Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana (JGSY) were
merged into the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) in September 2001. The Swamajayanti
Shahari Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY) was launched in December 1997. All the three Urban Poverty Alleviation
Schemes, namely, Urban Basic Services for the Poor (UBSP), Nehru Rozgar Yojana (NRY) and Prime
Minister’s Integrated Urban Poverty Eradication Programme (PMI-UPEP) were merged with it.
The Annapurna Scheme was launched in April 2000. It aimed at providing food security to those
senior citizens (65 years and above) who though eligible for the National Old Age Pension Scheme
(NOAPS) remained uncovered under the Scheme. The Samagra Awaas Yojana, a comprehensive housing
scheme, was launched in April 1999. It ensured integrated provision of shelter, sanitation and drinking
water. Elimination of poverty was one of the major objectives of the Eighth Plan. The schemes and
programmes aimed to provide food, health care, education, employment and shelter to the weaker
sections were launched. The Ninth Plan relied essentially on the trickle down effects of economic
growth for poverty alleviation. The Tenth Five Year Plan aims at reducing the poverty below 20 per
cent in the country by 2007.
The District Rural Industries Project (DRIP) was launched in October 1994 for providing employment
opportunities for the rural poor by setting up rural industrial estates. For people below the poverty
line, Janashree Bima Yojana, a group insurance scheme was launched in June 2000. Pradhan Mantri
Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY) was introduced in 2000-01 to concentrate on village level development. In
November 2001, Swayamsidha Scheme was introduced for holistic women empowerment primarily on
the self-help pattern. The government has set up Jai Prakash Rozgar Guarantee Yojana (JPRGY) in 2002-
03 aimed at ensuring employment for people belonging to the most distressed districts of the country.
According to the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) Report (1999-2000), the incidence of
poverty expressed as percentage of people living below the poverty line has witnessed a steady decline
from 55% in 1973-74 to 36% in 1993-94 and 26.10% in 1999-2000. Though poverty has declined at the
macro-level, rural-urban and inter-state disparities are visible. The rural poverty ratio is still relatively
high in Orissa, Bihar and the North eastern States. While some states such as Punjab and Haryana have
succeeded in reducing poverty by following the path of high agricultural growth, others have focussed
on particular areas of development, e.g., Kerala has focussed on human resource development, West
Bengal on vigorous implementation of land reform measures and empowerment of Panchayats, and
Andhra Pradesh on direct public intervention in the form of public distribution of foodgrains.
Eradication of poverty is a herculean task. However, India has travelled a long distance on the road to
development since independence. Statistics show that it has been able to alleviate poverty to some
extent through various governmental programmes and schemes. The UNDP Human Development
Report-2003 also maintains that India, home to one-sixth of the world population, has achieved great
progress on most fronts. Finally, the objective of removal of poverty can be fulfilled if the poor
themselves become conscious, improve their education and capabilities, become organised and assert
themselves. Though India, today, is a poor and developing country, sincere and effective efforts for
development and poverty alleviation will definitely place it in the group of rich and developed
Key-words
1. precise—clear, accurate 2. cumulative—gradually increasing 3. accentuated— made it prominent
4. herculean—need very great strength or effort

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