Q9 · UPSC Civil Services Mains 2018 · GS I · 10 marks · 2 min read

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'Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing'. Explain by giving reasons.

Topic: Women, Population and Urbanisation. Syllabus: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies. Same official PYQ from year-wise 2018 and Women, Population and Urbanisation.

Revision summary

Schemes have reduced extreme want but have not removed the causes of poverty. Leakage and weak public services stop benefits from becoming a lasting exit. Landlessness, casual work, and regional and caste concentration keep people poor. Urban rents and informal jobs create new poverty beside rural programmes. Headcount depends on the poverty line; pockets remain even when the average improves.

Model answer

Flow diagram

flowchart TD
  P[Programmes] --> N[Net food work cash]
  S[Land caste informality region] --> W[Want continues]
  L[Leakage weak school clinic] --> W
  N --> F[Poverty falls but remains]

Conclusion

  • Combine work, food, health, and skills so a household has an exit path, not only a safety net.
  • Fix targeting and local capacity; a well-designed scheme fails if the panchayat and the clinic are empty.

Poverty remains because programmes treat symptoms while land, job quality, caste, and region still produce want. Eradication needs secure livelihoods and public services, not only a longer list of schemes.

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