Rampant Poverty Hurts India’s Economic Ambitions
- 14 years ago
India now has 410 million people living below the U.N. estimated poverty line of $1.25 a day.
The latest official estimates show the poverty rate has risen to over 37 percent of the population… a ten percent increase in the past six years.
In New Delhi, thousands of slum dwellers live in cheek-by-jowl shanties next to a stinking sewer with piles of garbage strewn all around.
People like Meena, a slum resident and mother of four, have failed to reap the benefits of India's economic growth.
[Meena, Slum Resident]: (Hindi, female)
"Poor will always remain poor and backward. How can the poor progress when everything is getting so expensive? For the poor providing food for the children is a massive job, any progress or improvement in the life of the poor is out of question."
While India's economy is slowly recovering from a global recession, millions of poor in India are finding it difficult to cope with around 17 percent food price inflation.
[Gomti Devi, Slum Resident]: (Hindi, female)
"Everything is a struggle, everything is so expensive, it is very tough -- we are living on just one meal a day. We eat only in the evenings and have to forgo meals.”
Experts warn that unless economic growth trickles down to the masses, India's dream of playing a major role on the world stage will remain only a dream.
India has more than 220 million hungry and ranks 94th out of 119 countries in the Global Hunger Index.
The latest official estimates show the poverty rate has risen to over 37 percent of the population… a ten percent increase in the past six years.
In New Delhi, thousands of slum dwellers live in cheek-by-jowl shanties next to a stinking sewer with piles of garbage strewn all around.
People like Meena, a slum resident and mother of four, have failed to reap the benefits of India's economic growth.
[Meena, Slum Resident]: (Hindi, female)
"Poor will always remain poor and backward. How can the poor progress when everything is getting so expensive? For the poor providing food for the children is a massive job, any progress or improvement in the life of the poor is out of question."
While India's economy is slowly recovering from a global recession, millions of poor in India are finding it difficult to cope with around 17 percent food price inflation.
[Gomti Devi, Slum Resident]: (Hindi, female)
"Everything is a struggle, everything is so expensive, it is very tough -- we are living on just one meal a day. We eat only in the evenings and have to forgo meals.”
Experts warn that unless economic growth trickles down to the masses, India's dream of playing a major role on the world stage will remain only a dream.
India has more than 220 million hungry and ranks 94th out of 119 countries in the Global Hunger Index.