INTRODUCTION

Poverty is the condition of having an insufficient amount of resources or income..poverty has been defined on basis of the money required to buy food worth 2100 calories in urban areas and 2400 calories in rural areas. Poverty has many causes;some of them are very basic.The primary factors that may lead to poverty are overpopulation,the unequal distribution in world economy,inability to meet high standards of living or high cost of living,inadequate employment certain and education and opportunities,environmental degradation, economic

demographic trends and welfare incentives. Well,generally poverty has various serious consequences.In many countries where there are high rates of poverty,many of the local citizens faces the problem of famine and lackof lodging,one common example is India. Therefore together with these problems there is also a lack of hygiene and this favours the proliferation of various harmful bacteria which resulting in the development of diseases such as cholera,malaria,etc...

RURAL POVERTY
Analyzing some aspects of the RuralUrban ivide:70%of India s population lives in Villages,but the rural occupation of agriculture contributes to only 16%of India s economy!The Leech Factor. That is what the phenomenon of unbalanced area development in India is called among economists and financial analysts.Since our nation s independence,thegovernment has been streamlining its developmental measures towards our metro cities,largely ignoring the rural area and creating a yawning gap between the urban and the rural masses. Be it the setting up of multi national companies,of retail showrooms or even, something as primary as the telecom sector,everything first set up shop among the urbanites.The Leech Factor:When the resources in the cities dried up, entrepreneurs moved on to extraction of ram materials from the hugely unexploited rural India.However,the Leech factor,or the process of sucking up the resources from a particular area and using it in another,is being considered as a major deterrent to India s instable,scattered growth.But now,the time has come for the urbanites to make way for the upcoming small towners or villagers.A large pool of traders,entrepreneurs,industrialists, agencies, market marketing and warehousing intermediaries,professionals,

educational institutions,plantations etc are recognizing the potential for profit in India s lesser known villages.Recent studies indicate that the actual level of non-performing assets (NPAs)in the ruralsector is less than elsewhere,and this coupled with the low cost of operations, less expensive labor,infrastructure,cost of living,and so on make Rural India an attractive market.The rural sector needs timely credit.ue to the failure of the organized sector to make an impact in bridging the credit gap,the informal credit sector has been thriving and is able to

lend as high as 24-36 per cent per annum depending on the borrowers risk profile. The concepts of lending based on credit history and risk perception being implemented in the organized sector now have been in vogue in Rural India s informal credit sector for long.Banks need to make loan procedures simple and accessible if they want to make inroads into the rural sector.If banks can offer housing and car loans through simple procedures in urban markets,it is ridiculous to have cumbersome and complicated procedures in the rural sector.Simplification of loan procedures and credit accessibility will attract quality and high net worth borrowers.Banks should harness the rural savings,though smaller than the urbanites,because of the lower income,and direct them towardsproductive sectors..Information and communication technology can help banks convert rural networks into financial marts.Banks today have surplus liquidity and those that succeed in directing the surplus funds to productive sectors will gain.Banking is becoming increasingly complex and those that fail to tap the potential of the rural sector will stand to lose.India s sustainable development leans majorly on the rise of the rural sector.We might endorse India s economy as shining or drape it in other such words,but the fact remains that these merely veil the underlying current of instability and imbalance.Until the rural slump is adhered to,and the growing interest in rural India does not evaporate as a mere market-fancy,India s economy will have a tough time sustaining its ever- increasing population.

URBAN POVERTY
This is mainly due to poor city planning, urban land management and legislation. The distinct character of urban poverty isthat it was not about only nutritional deficiency but deficiencies in the basic needs of housing,water,sanitation, medical care,education,and opportunity for income generation. The report finds that urban workers were being increasingly pushed into the informal sector,even as the space for informal economic activities was gradually shrinking.And within the informal sector, the profile of the work in urban areas has moved from wage-employment to selfemployment,which carries its own uncertainties. So the urban poor was increasingly a street vendor,a rickshaw puller,a rag picker,a cleaner,a washerman,a load carrier or a domestic servant.While these workers contributed to the growth of cities,there was a growing trend to push them to the urban periphery,as they were increasingly seen as threat to the Globalcity dreams!In the event,though the share of poor in urban population had fallen,because of the increasing pace of urbanisation and the changing face of urban employment,the absolute number of urban poor had risen.As many as 81 million or 25.7 per cent people (2004-05) subsist in urban areas on incomes that arebelow the poverty line.Eighty per cent of their meagre income goes towards paying for food and energy,leaving very little for meeting the cost of living in an increasingly monetised society. espite having the highest per capita income in the country (Rs 65,361),over 1.2 million Mumbaikars earn less than Rs 591 per month.More than half of Mumbai s population lives in sub-human conditions in shanties,but the land the slums are situated on comprises just six per cent of the city s total land area.

This,in a city where posh apartments are routinely sold for anywhere between Rs 10 to Rs 25 crore and an Ambani brother builds a Rs 800 crore super-luxury mansion!For Chennai,India s fourth largest metropolis,there is no authentic survey or report on the face of urban poverty . The Second Master Plan,notified in September 2008,says only this:Below Poverty Line population during 1999-2000 in Chennai City,Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur were 9.58%,1 3 .2 %a n d 19.18%respectively. But the comparative figures for homelessness,the worst form of urban poverty and deprivation,tells adifferent tale.In 2001,the total urban homeless population was 7,78,599 and Tamil Nadu had a high 7.3%compared to elhi at 3.1%and Bihar 1.6%.Extreme poverty topped the list of reasons why people came to the streets with the highest being 73.75%in Chennai.

GOVERNMENT POLICIES TO CONTROL POVERTY

INTEGRATED RURAL EVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
The Integrated Rural evelopment Programme is centrally sponsored programme funded by Central and State Government on 50:50 basis.The objective of the programme is to assist selected families of target group in rural areas to cross poverty line by taking up self employment ventures by providing income generating assets including working capital wherever necessary through assistance including subsidy and installment credit.The target groups consists of small and marginal farmers etc.,whose annual income is below Rs.11,000/-per annum. EVELOPMENT OF WOMEN AN CHIL REN IN RURAL AREAS It is a sub-scheme of IR P and was started in this district during 199394.The objective is to focus attention on women in Rural Areas Below Poverty Line sustainable basis.The Strategy adopted in WCRA is group as a Unit.This is purposely designed to motivate the rural women to overcome their social barriers and come together ultimately to engage in income generation and self-fulfilling opportunities.The WCRA will normally consist of about 15 women.The Group Organizer will help in the choice of the Economic Activity.The activity should encourage the group to be cohesive in spirit of participation and cooperation of all members.

TRAINING TO RURAL YOUTH FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT

The TRYSEM was initiated in July 1979. TRYSEM is a centrally sponsored scheme launched as facilitating component of IR P.The TRYSEM is to provide technical skills to rural youth to enable them to take up self employment in the broad fields of Agriculture and allied

activities , Industries,Services and Business activities.The objective of TRYSEM preference concerned identified under IR P.

SUPPLY IMPROVED TOOLL KITS TO RURAL ARTISANS

Improved Tool Kits distributed to rural artisans of different trades at Rs.2,000 per each trade Toolkit with 90%subsidy and 10%of Beneficiary contribution.It gives scope to rural artisans to across the poverty line.Selection of Beneficiaries is at a mandal/village level through MP O. Total Grants Under this programme were sanctioned by Govt.of India.The programme is under implementation since 1992-93.

NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME

The programme was launched with effect from 5 th August 1985 and under this programme three sub-schemes are under implementation.They are. 1.National Old Age Pension(NOAP) 2.National Family Benefit Scheme (NEBS) 3.National Maternity Benefit Scheme(NMBS) NATIONAL OLD AGE PENSION (NOAP) The Scheme is implemented to the Old Age persons who are living above 65 Years. Physically Handicapped persons and Leprosy destitute (I respective of Age) who comes under Below Poverty line.They will get Rs.75/-per month.Revenue divisional officers are the sanctioning authorities. In this district (37020)persons was benefited up to 1998-99 year. NATIONAL FAMILY BENEFIT SCHEME (NFBS) Under this scheme,in the death of primary breadwinner,the head of household is untitled to get the benefit of Rs.10000/-in case normal deaths.The deceased persons should have been primary bread winner and in the age group of more or less than 65 Years and who comes under Below poverty line and residing in the district preceding 3 years.

In case of accidental deaths.The benefit shall be extruded under "APA BAN HU" scheme which covers carton incidents as prescribed by the Government.The deceased family will get Rs.50000/-or 10000/depending upon their age.The district Collector is competent authority for sanction of such amount. In this district (1478)person were assisted every year. NATIONAL MATERNITY BENEFIT SCHEME (NMBS) Under this scheme the pregnant women shall be at the age of 19 years and must cover under Below poverty line the maternity benefit amount will be disbursed women those who have 8 to 10 wee.And second on one is Rs.200/-after delivery.

EMPOYMENT ASSURANCE SCHEME

The EAS scheme is under implement action in (10)Blocks of the Khammam istrict during the 1993-94 and the scheme has been extended to (11)Blocks during 1994- 95 and further extended to entire (13) Blocks during 1995-96.This schemes has been implemented by Project Officer IT A up to 1995-96 and the project irector R A is being implemented this scheme from 1996-97 onwards. The scheme is mainly intended to provide employment to the rural agricultural labor caring lean season of the year,when there will be no agricultural labor caring learn season of the year,then there will be to agricultural operations,for about 100 days preferably from January 15 th to May 15 th expenditure on the scheme is shared by the Government of India and the state Government is the ration 80.20 per the guidelines 50%of allocation amount should be earmarked for watersheds and the balance or the EAS works. uring 1998-99 works have been sectioned considering two installments of Central and State Governments as a regular basis one installment

extra as a hope and 50%on 1 st and 2 nd installments makings total allocation as Rs.1900.00 lakhs.Keeping in view the Government instructions (27)Watersheds with an outlay of Rs.135.00 lakhs per each year and (8)VSS/WS with and cutler of Rs. 198.00 lakhs each year and under 40% EAS funds and check ams/New Tanks and minor irrigation works have been taken up on perioslty basis during the year 1998-99 to mitigate drinking water problem Rural Areas.Breached tanks have been restored and irrigation facilities have been improved. 1996-97 -9 Check an:(4)New Tanks 1997-98 -8 Check an:(1)New Tank 1998-99 -99 Check an:(8)New Tanks (319.102 lakhs)

WATERSHED EVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Watershed is a hydrogeological from where the rainwater is collected from roads to valley and discharge through a common outlet. The main object of implementation of the watershed evelopment programme is to control the erosion of the soil and improving the Groundwater Potential by taking up the soil &Moisture conservation works and plantation giving predominance to the people participation duly creating awareness.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF MEASURES

Employment generation assured income Arrack and ganja lobby became active 50 to 80 %of wage earned taken by arrack lobby Violence,suicides,poverty,drop outs, deaths &mental illness increased Women responded by organizing themselves as Thaikulasangham to fight against Arrack &Ganja AHA S supported the movement Movement spread to all hamlets H.E.The President of India strengthened the movement by administering the oath against Arrack and Ganja during his visit to Attappady on 17-11-02 Reluctance of law enforcement machinery to support the movement.

FARMER S SUICIDE
More than 100 cotton growers killed themselves in India's richest state of Maharashtra in August,because it is impossible for them to repay their debts to the government and to loan sharks who exploit their poverty. The figure is a sad record for the nation, bringing to nearly 1000 the number of suicides committed in the first eight months of the year for the same reason. elhi has launched a highly publicised funding program to ease the tax burdens weighing heavily on farmers'shoulders, but no results are in evidence. According to government statistics,nearly 4,000 growers committed suicide in Maharashtra,Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka and Kerala in the last five years.But independent estimates put the toll much higher,as much as 18,000.The act of ultimate despair is always motivated by the victims'inability to provide the basic necessities for themselves and their families. Activists seeking to help the farmers say the "situation is currently worse than ever"."The rate of suicide is about three per day,"said Sharad Joshi,chief of Shetkari Sangathan,a growers'union. "The government suppresses facts for obvious reasons,but we have names of each and every farmer who committed suicide." Kishor Tiwari,a human rights activist said the government "has made no effort to get to the root of the problem.Whatever campaigns are announced never go to the heart of the matter,they only tackle side issues."

In July,the government promised to allocate 400 million dollars to be distributed as one-off loans,as well as reduction of interest and restructuring of debts,plus a one-year moratorium on loan repayments from farmers. Prime Minister of the Union,Manmohan Singh,said "the economic reforms package to stop suicides will take two or three months to show results".

CONCLUSION
Poverty exists thro gh ut the world.Itis most likely going to be a major social issue for years to come.Peoplein third world co ntries may alwaysdig thro gh the trash to findsomething to eat for the day, notknowing if they will find anything.Wearing ragged clothing and not being live in able to shower every day,or no atall.Families may always horrible conditions,having

otherchoice,because they do not have eno gh money.At least they have achance to come to America and start over,get a job and make a better lifefor their families.Poverty is an example of man's inh manity to manbecause people co ld go o t and help, but most do not.