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Poverty is a complex phenomenon in its content and scope. Poverty is a plague affecting all parts of the world and it has many faces and dimensions. It is both widespread and intensive and intrinsically related to socio-cultural, socio-political and socio-economic factors. In popular understanding, poverty is identified with lowness of income, which prevents a family from obtaining and enjoying the basic necessities of life, including a minimum of food, clothing, shelter and water. This concept is defined as income poverty. For a comprehensive picture of poverty those other deprivations, such as in relation to health, education, sanitation and insurance against mishaps, must be taken into account.

Alleviation of poverty has remained a major challenge before the Indian nation even after sixty four years of independence as poverty still persists in our country in its absolute and relative dimensions. Apart from low level of per capita income, factors affecting physical quality of life index are also reflective of poverty in India. According to the 61st round of NSSO, the poverty ratios for the country as whole in 2004-05 were 27.5 percent on the basis of URP method and 21.8 percent on the basis of MRP method. Likewise, India’s rank in terms of human poverty index is as low as 62 (HDR Report 2007-08).

In the wake of economic reforms, while the economy has performed well in terms of growth rate of GDP, its performance in the form of human development indices has been not satisfactory. The current evidence available about population living below poverty line indicates the stark reality that the economic reforms process did not help to reduce poverty.

Contents: Preface. 1. Introductory. 2. Poverty at Global Level with Reference to India. 3. Incidence and Extent of Poverty in India. 4. Inter-State Analysis of Human Poverty in India. 5. Poverty Alleviation Programmes in India. 6. Suggestions and Policy Measures. Bibliography.