Development & Poverty - A Reflection

• Anu Srinivasan-Santhanam

In a world where the Rich constantly become richer and the Poor steadily become poorer, who reserves the right to discern the fine line that divides the Poverty-striken from the more fortunate?

Ironically, Poverty has been interpreted variously based on the convenience of those who aren’t actually impacted by the depths of Deprivation. Consequently, definitions adopted make a mockery of mathematics as well as metrics. Convenience supersedes compassion and helping hands extend into an abyss of ignorance. Attempts are made to lay the foundation to sustainability on the slippery surface of speculation that is palmed off as “standards” used to measure the “means” of men (and women) banished to lead lives that leave them with little or no options. At best, they enjoy the luxury of managing to remain alive. When survival is the prime driver, and everything else blurs, that twilight is where Poverty dwells.

Apart from metric-driven parameters that cordon starving populations into “within-the-box” categories, the broad term “Poverty” also lends itself to multiple interpretations depending on the context: Absolute poverty, Relative Poverty, Situational Poverty, Generational Poverty etc. The urban-rural divide rings in key differentiators - Urban Poverty is characterised by the struggle to grapple with overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, pollution etc. (despite better education & healthcare facilities being available) while Rural Poverty deprive people access to education, health and other services.

This is where Development comes in. To alleviate and eradicate poverty. While addressing its most important aim, any effort at Development must identify clear measures / indices of improvement. The plot thickens because Poverty is inherently interlinked with other problems of underdevelopment. Hence Developmental efforts must be strategic, systematic and well-implemented, resulting in the ability of the beneficiaries to sustain their own development.

As the old Navajo proverb underlines: Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. True Development and elimination of Poverty cannot come at the cost of self-sufficiency or preservation of the community’s own habits or habitat.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: This article is an inspired articulation after attending the first session of Dr Balasubramanium's Webinar Workshop on Building Human Capital for Economic Growth. Blessed to share the thoughts of a Thought-leader.