Thought for the day
”For rarely are sons similar to
their fathers: most are worse, and a few are better than their fathers.”
-
Homer (Greek, time uncertain, most believe
between 7th and 8th century BC)
Word for the day
Blithesome (adj)
Lighthearted; merry; cheerful.
(Source:
Dictionary.com)
Teaser for the day
Should poverty line be absolute or relative?
Would it be appropriate to say anyone earning less than 2%
of the average income of top 10% Indian tax payers is poor?
Or you think notwithstanding the state of broader economy
the poor should be happy and content with their 2000kcl?
Raise
the bar
Traversing through remote hills and forests of Kumaun region of
Uttrakhand during past 8days was quite revealing. For the first time, in my numerous
visits to the region over past three decades, I experienced a colossal surge in
expectations; and it is not the youth alone. Everyone is conspicuously carrying
enormous expectations - not only from the government, but in general too. The
common people there who are generally poor and live a sub-standard life on all
parameters, seriously believe that their life needs to improve substantially.
Back home and listening to the media debates, it occurs to me
that the tiny part of population which is vociferously (in some cases rather
ludicrously) "demanding" concessions and seeking provisions for
themselves in the Union budget might perhaps be completely cut from the broader
realties of Indian economy.
The debate over validity or otherwise of official poverty line
also sounds hollow and unfractuous. Having lived with a family who earns less
than Rs5000/month for a night, I can understand that Rs. 32 (per capita/day or
Rs5000/month for a family of five) lets you survive, given health, education,
and one meal for children are provided by the government; and you do not have
to pay any taxes. Water is provided free by nature and electricity they have
nothing to use for. The staple meal (rather obligingly) offered to me by the
family was healthy and nutritious.
The basic needs of food, clothes and shelter apart, the life of
our fellow countrymen, whom we prefer to call BPL, is far from dignified, which
is their constitutional right. They lack basic civil amenities like sanitation
and safe drinking water close to their homes. The healthcare available to them
is really primitive and insufficient. The standard of education afforded to
their children is far from satisfactory and abysmally inadequate for their
children to break the vicious cycle of ignorance and poverty.
I am confident that the NDA government led by an erstwhile tea
seller Narendra Modi is well aware of the ground realties. I therefore expect
that the socio-economic policies of the government would be suited to uplift
the bottom half of the population on priority basis. The middle class populism
can wait for few more years.
To this end, I feel that the conventional paradigm of poverty
alleviation needs to be radically redefined. I believe that the extant absolute
measure of poverty in terms of minimum monthly per capita expenditure to obtain
sufficient calories to survive is inappropriate, inequitable and in a way
unconstitutional. Instead, the poverty line needs to be drawn on relative
basis. In my estimates, defined as mere 2% of the average income of top 10% tax
payers, will push over half the country below poverty line. This realistic
assessment shall allow the government to redefine priorities and redraw the
social welfare programs.
Over next three days I shall outline my views on
the budget, which I sincerely believe is accorded undue importance by the
community.
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