Poverty and our ‘Learned Helplessness’

Introduction

Poverty is often defined in terms of economic levels and associated depravity. If the per capita income is such and below then poor, or if the calory intake is less than such and below then poor etc. However, in terms of ‘wants’, if someone still has a ‘want’ on some ground and dimension, that person is considered still poor on that front is the understanding. This might sound more philosophical line. In practice there appears to be no end to the wants and desires of humans. In other words, we may have multiple poor grounds like ‘car poor’, ‘house poor’, ‘job poor’ etc. Then, it becomes difficult to measure and calibrate. On the other hand, it is much easier if we must segregate people who have less than 60 rupees per day or those who don’t have access to say 2200 Kcal per day etc. These measures sound more objective is the understanding and objective take. Thus, on practical lines more objective measures and commonly agreed frameworks are always required.

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Our Case of Poverty

There is no doubt that even recently we were a rich country. Just three centuries ago we had a fourth of the world’s economic production is a measured reality. What happened to our wealth may be answered in terms of ‘drain of wealth’. More importantly what happened to our production abilities, processes, value system, and resilience? Why did we become a country of mediocre quality with huge leakages? We were on an ethical downhill and we did not realize that for centuries. We urgently require nation-building is one firm answer. Additionally, there have been developments that were not in our favour like colonialization, internecine battles among rulers, their morally fallen lifestyles, and under-investments leading to huge issues on KSA front (Knowledge/ Skills/ Attitude). If we can explain the super-rich’s riches in unethical/techno-commercial compromises/subjective-favours terms, then we clearly know the reason for our country’s current poverty levels. Try to link known income and current wealth of people. The answers will be obvious in many cases.

We were a sad country eighty years ago when a crore of people lost their lives as food was not ‘available for consumption’. It is a different matter that at many places the food was there in shops and godowns of businessmen who could make it available only if the demanded price was met, which most could not afford. Within a few years of this famine was our partition. This resulted in crore and half or more migrations. Many of these either had nothing in the beginning or had to leave everything and walk in with empty hands and pockets. Imposed poverty was the reality. Partition witnesses recalled people vying with dog for a roti and chasing it to grab the same, when dog’s agility made it win the prize. ?

Settlement of affected and reconciling the situation itself took two plus decades immediate to our independence. A few wars too cost us the disturbances. Came the early seventies, it dawned that poverty had to be confronted, and mitigation had to be put in place. Earlier our dependence on the foodgrains charity or purchased imports resulted in a situation of not having ‘fundamentals in place’. We were lagging on all the four fronts of ‘food, clothing, shelter, and health’. Ethically we probably were so low that even children’s food was ‘black-marketed’. The situation was ‘all-round poor’ is the only statement we can make when we celebrated silver jubilee of our independence. Then came the slogan of ‘remove the poverty’ and this powerful articulation had to be followed by some objective measures of addressing the issue of improving situation and measuring the poverty.

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Progress and Reality

It was proposed that urban and rural dwellers need to get some agreed minimal calorific intake for ‘carrying out’ their tasks. These numbers were worked out and measurement of what portion of our population was getting the minimum was attempted through ‘Consumption’ surveys. Stark reality had to be faced, and more than half of our nation were not getting the minimum agreed calorific intake. What next? Green and white revolutions improved the situation over the next three decades we might feel. Sufficiency of production is reached. Here production and consumption are two different functions. Production is constraint driven and has many moderating variables. Consumption on the other hand is simpler, only affordability comes into play. The next question that arises is if a segment of our people can’t afford it, what do we need to do? Whether the government has the obligation to feed the masses? Whether the government should turn a blind eye and tolerate malnourishment in the current and NextGen?

Should the authorities educate the masses on the quality of food as well? Poor children getting malnourished is economically understood. Children from middle and upper middle segments too suffering from undernourishment talk volumes on the quality of intake. Unfortunately, food is becoming fashionable and a statement. High calories but poor nutrition is the reality. Two kids may be app-ordering the ‘food’ that is empty calories, but that evening bill may be a typical family’s weekly groceries equivalent. High calorie and high toxic containing food is becoming ‘everyday food’ for under-educated background kids. This is another case of ‘Imposed Poverty’ and it should be the national concern.

How much we made progress in our war on poverty is an academically interesting and also nation’s soul-searching question. The occasionally conducted ‘Consumption surveys’ reveal disturbing numbers is what our authentic Regulatory & Policy experts caution us. If the situation is stagnating, it is a concern. Meaning is we are not making next level progress. If the situation is deteriorating or appearing to be so, then it is a greater concern. If the data is not disclosed for any reasons, it may be suspected that hiding of the gravity of the situation is underway. Then the situation may be grave, or such an inference may not be far from the truth.

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On a mitigating closing note

The nation is in people and surrounding ecosystem. The ecosystem has to be preserved, and hence our growth has to be ecologically sustainable. By now the unmindful growth of our cities, polluting industrialization, and waste generation & handling have crossed all alarming levels. People related growth in terms of ‘food, cloth, shelter, health’ have to be addressed satisfactorily. Food production has increased but in a non-sustainable manner. Insisting on water intensive crops caused exploitation of groundwater beyond any sustainable levels. Should we forget millets cultivation and consumption as the ‘Year of Millets’ viz. 2023 is over? Careless use of fertilizers/pesticides are causing breeding ground for many erstwhile uncommon diseases. Increased incidence of the disease of ‘C’ is a serious cause of concern so also drug-resistant varieties of earlier ‘conquered diseases.’

On the nutrition side simpler solutions can work. A combination of jaggery, roasted chana and groundnuts makes a delicious sweet of ‘Chikki’ or ‘Patti’. It can substitute empty calorie-based chocolates is a concept that needs to be pushed. Some states tried but got mired in avoidable controversies. Midday meal of dal and rice mix of Kichdi or Kichouri or Pabbiyyam or Pongal or Huggi or Bissi-bele anna or Sambar+Rice has nourishing contents. Midday meals can promote attendance and improve the ‘sickness frequency’ of children is observed in early studies. However, shortcuts and corrupt practices result in untoward incidents and poor-quality issues. Centralized cooking in controlled premises and packed midday meals in leaf-stitched pathal/patrouli/vistari is healthier and hygienic. Costs are less in all these initiatives. Commitment is the only requirement. One should not work on ‘cornering’ and offer ‘yellow water’ as dal is the simple expectation pertaining to feeding our NextGen.

Nutritional requirements are known. Money that is getting spent by governments is also known. Leakages exist in the system due to poor ethical operations are also known. When the problems and issues are known, and can be discussed without any hesitance, the forward actions must be agreed upon. Efficient operations, logistics, digitization be leveraged, and outcomes be achieved is the DESIRE.

When our NextGen is NOT in schools but living on Malad pavements or Kalwa tents, these must be fed. These are our tomorrow’s BHARAT. As a result, poverty measures shall get worked upon and we shall improve in terms of outcomes. We shall have an aspiringly brighter future. Rest shall be great history.