Economics of poverty

Removal of poverty has been one of the avowed objectives of the successive five year plans in India. Yet after three years of planned efforts the incidence of poverty in the country is high. There are wide variations in the incidence of poverty in different states. The states where percentage of population living below the line of the poverty is higher than the all India average are Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam and Uttar Pradesh. These are the states where more than 72 per cent of the total poverty population lives.
The first chapter of this book deals with general introduction. In this chapter attempt has been made to examine what is decentralisation and what are the different views regard ing this. It is also elaborated in this chapter what is the general nature of poverty in Indian context. The second chapter discusses about economics of poverty and various studies concerning poverty which includes reports and data derived by many experts. In the third chapter co-relation between decentralisation and poverty has been described. The fourth chapter emphasises various measures adopted by the Government for eradication of poverty and fifth chapter deals with what are the Gandhian views for elimination of poverty. Concept of self-sufficiency and Gandhian views regarding this has been discussed in the sixth chapter.
The last chapter concludes this study with chapter-wise conclusion remarks and suggestions. This outstanding book will be of great use to scholars and students of economics and rural and to planners and policy-makers.