Poverty in India facts for kids
Poverty in India is a big challenge for the country. Many people in India live in poverty, meaning they do not have enough money for basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing. The Indian government has set a "poverty line," which is a certain amount of money people need each month to not be considered poor. For people in rural areas, this amount is around 670 rupees per month, and for those in cities, it's about 860 rupees. This shows that many families struggle to make ends meet.
In 2012, a report found that about 26% of all people in India lived on less than US$1.25 (about a dollar and a quarter) per day. This is a common way to measure poverty around the world. However, over the past ten years, the number of people living in poverty has been going down. It dropped from 37.2% in 2004-2005 to 29.8% in 2009-2010. Today, it's estimated that about 250 million people in India are still living in poverty.
Contents
Understanding Poverty in India
Poverty is a complex issue, and there are different ideas about why it exists in India. Understanding these ideas helps us see the problem from various angles.
What Causes Poverty?
There are two main ways people think about the causes of poverty in India.
Historical Reasons
One idea is that India's poverty comes from its past. For a long time, India was ruled by other countries, especially the British. During this time, India's resources were often used to benefit the ruling country, which made it harder for India to develop its own economy and industries. This historical exploitation is seen by some as a major reason why poverty became so widespread.
Modern Challenges
Another way of looking at it focuses on more recent issues. These challenges include:
- Not Enough Jobs: Many people cannot find steady jobs, or the jobs they find do not pay enough. This means they struggle to earn a living.
- Lack of Property: Some people do not own land or homes, which can make it hard to build wealth or have a secure place to live.
- Farming Dependence: A large number of people in India rely on farming. If crops fail due to weather or if prices for farm products are low, farmers and their families can become very poor.
- Population Growth: India has a very large and growing population. Sometimes, there are not enough resources or jobs for everyone, which can add to poverty.
- Social Divisions: In some parts of India, old social systems, like the caste system, have created inequalities. These divisions can make it harder for certain groups of people to get good education, jobs, or opportunities, trapping them in poverty.
- Corruption: When people in power use their positions for personal gain instead of helping the public, it can lead to money and resources not reaching those who need them most. This can make poverty worse.
Images for kids
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Share of population in extreme poverty, 1981 to 2017
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Slums near the international airport in Mumbai/Bombay
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India Poverty rate since 1993 based on World Bank $2.00 ppp value
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