Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development: Some Reflections

Abstract

Describes the poverty alleviation programmes in the country. Discusses the factors which hamper the development of rural areas and questions the Sixth Plan strategy of classifying the rural poor as a single category of "rural population below the poverty line." Instead, the note suggests two categories - 1) extremely poor or resourceless, and 2) poor but with some resources - according to which anti-poverty programmes should be designed and implemented. The note also mentions some of the policy options which may help in achieving the objectives of alleviating rural poverty.