Contents of section 13: Model village and Model nation.Chapter 10-Facts and figures on Poverty.10.1-F&F - Nearly 50 percent of the world's hungry live in India, a low-income, food-deficit country.10.2-F&F - 700 million Indians live on less that $2 a day.10.3-F&F - Poverty in India is wide spread with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor.10.4-F&F - Wealth did not percolate to millions who still go to bed on an empty stomach.10.5-F&F - Can India eradicate poverty? Will India's economic boom help the poor?10.6-F&F - Income and consumption.10.7-F&F - Growth in per capita income raises India's rank.10.8-F&F - How To Eradicate Poverty.10.9-F&F - Why You Can’t Eradicate Poverty by Giving Away Money.10.10-F&F - “Don’t help people who need it, help people who deserve it.”– Jim Rohn.10.11-F&F - “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese Proverb.10.12-F&F - People will change themselves if they believe that they can.10.13-F&F - The Rich vs Poor Insight.10.14-F&F - The Bangladeshi Experiment to Eradicate Poverty.10.15-F&F - Fighting Hunger Worldwide.10.16-F&F - POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE.10.17-F&F - Indian children suffer more malnutrition than in Ethiopia.10.18-F&F - Why the Fight against Poverty Is Failing.10.19-F&F - Corruption and misallocation of development funds are ultimately the result of failed governance.10.20-F&F - Poverty, in large part, can be solved if the poor gain new skills and if more jobs become available in the rural sector.10.21-F&F - Handouts will not solve poverty; neither will it be solved by grand government projects, or by piecemeal interventions of ngos.10.22-F&F - India's recent economic growth has widened economic inequality across the country.10.23-F&F - Seventy-seven percent of Indians - about 836 million people - live on less than half a dollar a day.10.24-F&F - India is home to roughly one-third of all poor people in the world.10.25-F&F - First official announcement of the Indian Poverty Line was made in the Rajya Sabha on December, 21, 1978.10.26-F&F - Planning Commission recalculates the poverty line every year adjusting it for inflation.10.27-F&F - Planning Commission's Poverty Line merely as a 'Starvation Line'.10.28-F&F - Poverty and over population have been identified as the two main causes of child labour.10.29-F&F - Eradicating poverty from the world is a good goal to have.10.30-F&F - The worst thing you can do to eradicate poverty is start giving the poor people free rides.10.31-F&F - Wealth distribution in India is fairly uneven.10.32-F&F - Some facts & figures on poverty in India.10.33-F&F - India's per capita income.

Views to make this ‘World’ developed and this ‘Earth’ as the lovely place for every ‘Human’.

SECTION 13MODEL VILLAGE AND

MODEL NATIONShelter in a better way, for everyone;

Pollution free atmosphere and greenery everywhere;

Life full of joy, prosperity and peace;

Chapter 10: Facts and figures on Poverty.10.1. F&F - Nearly 50 percent of the world's hungry live in India, a low-income, food-deficit country.

[Nearly 50 percent of the world's hungry live in India, a low-income, food-deficit country.

Around 35 percent of India's populations - 350 million - are considered food-insecure, consuming less than 80 percent of minimum energy requirements.

Nutritional and health indicators are extremely low. Nearly nine out of 10 pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years suffer from malnutrition and anemia.

Anemia in pregnant women causes 20 percent of infant mortality. More than half of the children under five are moderately or severely malnourished, or suffer from stunting.

Threats to Food Security

Poverty Uneven food distribution Natural disasters Deforestation Low education levels.

Source [158] ]

The questions we need to ask ourselves are why 50% of the world’s live in India, Why the brands like ‘food deficit country’ for India. Is it not possible to solve this problem? If a child suffers from hunger then his concentration will be on his stomach, he is disturbed, he cannot forget himself and involve

in the teachers teaching and thus he may pass the class but without any knowledge and thus the nation’s critical tool for economy – ‘the education leading to knowledge and self thinking which in turn leading to innovation and self sustainability in terms of technology import’ will never happen and our poor economy we will spend entirely for technology import. This hunger leading to malnutrition and both of these leading to poor concentration, poor achievement, poor knowledge gain, more dependency, more prone for illness, more expense for maintaining health, leading to personnel and family poverty will come as an obstacle one by for the individual and the family at the grass root level and many such individuals in the nation will affect the economy of the nation. This type of sequential problems starts from the time of conception and it also depends on the health of the parents especially the mother who is going to conceive and prepares the future citizen of this great India in her woob, thus the mother suffering from malnutrition and anemia will produce a baby who is not strong enough to sit for long hours in the class with undisturbed concentration on the teachers teaching. RCS – VPA will bring create food security for all the families and to the nation thus the problems like nutritional anemia – malnutrition related to less dietary intake can be solved to the maximum extent and will prepare the children / students to concentrate better on their studies. Threats to Food Security like Poverty, Uneven food distribution, Natural disasters, Deforestation, Low education levels can be solved with RCS – VPA – NES.

10.2. F&F - 700 million Indians live on less that $2 a day.

[UN statistics show that 700 million Indians live on less that $2 a day and a fifth of children don't go to school.

The 1981 Indian census reports that there were 13.6 million child labourers in India. Source [159] ]

With the establishment of VPA – MV – MN, all the people will get good income, all the children will go to the school, Child care centre in the school will look after the infants above the age of six months, if both the parents are working in the VPA, so, that the elder children are free to go to the school. VPA will not allow the children to work till the child completes the age of 18. When all the parents gets good income from the VPA, then naturally children are not forced to go for work.

10.3. F&F - Poverty in India is wide spread with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor.

[Poverty in India is wide spread with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. According to world bank estimate, 42% of Indians falls below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day. Source [160] ]

Poverty can be eradicated easily with the establishment of VPA – MV – MN.

10.4. F&F - Wealth did not percolate to millions who still go to bed on an empty stomach.

[India 67th in hunger index: failure of PDS in providing quality, nutritious food key factor.

New Delhi: Notwithstanding the steady economic growth resulting in wealth generation, India has been ranked 67th in the global hunger index indicating that its wealth did not percolates to millions who still go to bed on an empty stomach.

India is home to 42% of world’s underweight children – highest in Asia – and 31% of stunted children worldwide.

These are again the telltale signs of hunger impacting the natural signs of hunger impacting the natural growth and development of a child. Also the global food security is under stress.

According to the global hunger index, released on Monday ahead o the world food day on October 16, India has many miles to go before catching up with the UN Millennium Development Goal target of reducing poverty and hunger.

Inflation factor:

‘Food inflation of 15 to 16 percent is unthinkable. It can cause social unrest, more of which could be visible in the informal sector. When food prices go up, it hurts the poor most because they have to spend 60% on food’ said Ashok gulati, IFPRI director of Asia.

The index was developed using three parameters – calorie cut –off (1800 calories per day per adult), number of undernourished children and child mortality.

‘Children need nutrition in the first 1000 days of their lives – up to two years of their lives starting from the mother’s womb. Else their physical growth can be stunted and mental development does not take place properly. India lags behind in this area’ said Purnima Menon, a fellow at the IFPRI.

Malnutrition in children below two years is one of the challenges in reducing the global hunger and can cause lifelong harm to the health, productivity and earning potential.

Although the world’s leaders, through the first Millennium Development Goal, adopted a goal of halving the proportion of hungry people between 1990 and 2015, the report said the world was now here near meeting that target. Source [161] ]

RCS will provide water to all the land of agriculture, VPA will make the grains to grow in all the lands possible and it will also supply the condiments to all the people who work with it and the entire population will be working with the VPA, thus no one will suffer with hunger and thus the malnutrition from in utero period can be prevented.

10.5. F&F - Can India eradicate poverty? Will India's economic boom help the poor?

[Can India eradicate poverty? Will India's economic boom help the poor? India is an economic miracle. With growth rates of nearly 10% a year the country is becoming richer than ever before. But while the burgeoning middle class has more money to spend, most Indians still live in desperate poverty. UN statistics show that 700 million Indians live on less that $ 2 a day and a fifth of children doesn’t go to school. Although some of these people are benefiting from the boom, income gaps are widening fast. And with a rapidly growing population, the economy has to keep growing for society to simply stand still. Can everyone benefit from India's boom? Does the government have the right policies to tackle poverty? Is Indian society concerned with the poor? What are your experiences? Source [162] ]

If we look at this fact and figure, the economy of the India as a whole may be booming, but at the same time we need to think about how this generated income is distributed among the people. In this, same study, it is mentioned that ‘most Indians live in desperate poverty’ it is also mentioned that 700 million Indians live on less than $ 2 a day. Why they are not able to earn more? If we say since they are not skilled and qualified, so they are getting less. If that is the case when they are going to become skilled and qualified? Getting university degree is not possible to the productive population in this 700 million, because they are already passed the stage of study, but how many of their children are going to becomes qualified? The next thing is about the skill. Who is going to deliver the skill to this 700 million people? How and when they are going to become skilled? If the national administration is not thinking about all these aspects, then the boom in the overall economy of the nation is not at all going to help this larger segment of 700 million people. In this aspect, it is not possible to blame the owners also, because not all the years are same for the owners. One year the owners may get better income because of good rain, better irrigation, and better price for the crop they grow, the next two years they may suffer from loss, because of drought, or flood, not good price for the crop they grow and others. Business techniques, demand in the society for the crop they grow and the storage techniques all play a vital role in the process of making the owner rich. Even if, they get the good amount they may not be able distribute the same to the workers as more wages, because they may not have the generosity to do the same, or if they raise the wages once it may not come down and not all the years are same for the income they get. Like this, the major group of people neither get skill nor get qualification (Their children – Read the section on education for ‘Why their children are also not becoming qualified?) and this nation may not be the nation for this 700 million people.

The widening income gaps can be brought down by the VPA, not by bringing down the income of the people with high income to low, instead, the low income group will be made to earn more with more production in terms of agriculture and industrial outputs, and thus go closer to the high income group, thus decreasing the gap between the income groups.

10.6. F&F - Income and consumption.

[Income and consumption

Poverty in India

Percentage of population living under the poverty line of $1 (PPP) a day, currently 356.35 rupees a month in rural areas (around $7.4 a month).

As of 2005, 85.7% of the population lives on less than $2.50 (PPP) a day, down from 92.5% in 1981. This compares with 80.5% in Sub-Saharan Africa. 75.6% of the population lives on less than $2 a day (PPP), which is around 20 rupees or $0.5 a day in nominal terms. It was down from 86.6% and compares with 73.0% in Sub-Saharan Africa. A 24.3% of the population earned less than $1 (PPP, around $0.25 in nominal terms) a day in 2005, down from 42.1% in 1981. 41.6% of its population is living below the new international poverty line of $1.25 (PPP) per day, down from 59.8% in 1981. The World Bank further estimates that a third of the global poor now reside in India.

Today, more people afford to a bicycle than ever before. Some 40% of Indian households owns a bicycle, with ownership rates ranging from around 30% to 70% at state level. Housing is still very modest. According to Times of India, "a majority of Indians have per capita space equivalent to or less than a 10 feet x 10 feet room for their living, sleeping, cooking, washing and toilet needs." and "one in every three urban Indians lives in homes too cramped to exceed even the minimum requirements of a prison cell in the US." The average is 103 sq ft per person in rural areas and 117 sq ft per person in urban areas.

Around half of Indian children are malnourished. The proportion of underweight children is nearly double that of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, India has not had famines since the Green Revolution in the early 1970s. While poverty in India has reduced significantly, official figures estimate that 27.5% of Indians still lived below the national poverty line of $1 (PPP, around 10 rupees in nominal terms) a day in 2004-2005. A 2007 report by the state-run National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) found that 65% of Indians, or 750 million people, lived on less than 20 rupees per day with most working in "informal labour sector with no job or social security, living in abject poverty.

Since the early 1950s, successive governments have implemented various schemes, under planning, to alleviate poverty that have met with partial success. All these programmes have relied upon the strategies of the Food for work programme and National Rural Employment Programme of the 1980s, which attempted to use the unemployed to generate productive assets and build rural infrastructure. In August 2005, the Indian parliament passed the Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, the largest programme of this type in terms of cost and coverage, which promises 100 days of minimum wage employment to every rural household in 200 of India's 600 districts. The question of

whether economic reforms have reduced poverty or not has fuelled debates without generating any clear cut answers and has also put political pressure on further economic reforms, especially those involving the downsizing of labour and cutting agricultural subsidies. Source [163] ]

It is possible make all the people to come above the line of poverty with VPA – MV – MN. Within five years of complete establishment of VPA – MV – MN, most of the families should be able to have a four wheeler for their family use, even though it may not be required to use it with in the village limit, as all the required place of work will come within walk able distance in the MV with inter building bridges.

10.7. F&F - Growth in per capita income raises India's rank.

[Growth in per capita income raises India's rank.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA.

JUNE 30:

"Resources are not the critical constraint. Countries with similar resources, such as China, have legal guarantees for this economic right, and have delivered it," it said adding the principles of human rights call for policy measures to tackle the extreme deprivation of these groups.

Lauding India's efforts in reducing income poverty, the report said poverty has been reduced from 54 per cent in 1974 to 39 per cent in 1994. Yet widespread income poverty and income inequality still exists.

Lack of housing is another problem in India with millions living in shantytowns in Calcutta and Mumbai, it observed. Source [164] ]

Income poverty and income inequality can be effectively tackled with VPA – MV – MN. MV will make all the people to live in good houses.

10.8. F&F - How To Eradicate Poverty.

[How To Eradicate Poverty: What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World

by: Noreen | last updated: February 23, 2009

1. The Indian Experiment to Eradicate Poverty

“Everything that is rewarded grows.”

India had been strafed and divided with the caste system since centuries.

Indian Constitution Seeks to Change Things And so, when India gains its independence in 1947, the leaders decide to make things right.

The folks who frame the Indian constitution believe that Dalits are historically oppressed and denied respect and equal opportunity in the society. The quickest way to help them achieve equal status in the society is by educating them.

But many of these Dalits can’t even afford education. So the Indian Government decides to create a schedule caste and schedule tribe quota. 22.5% of all the seats in Government schools and colleges should be reserved for this Dalits.They are to be educated for free!

Situation After 61 Years.

After 61 years of independence and quota education system, you would think that there wouldn’t be any person claiming himself to be a Dalit left in India today – right?

But things haven’t worked out that way.

Instead of their numbers going down, their numbers have actually steadily increased every year since independence and gone way up!

In 1991, there are 150 million Indians who claim themselves to be of the schedule caste quota. In 2001, the number raises up to 230 million Indians! Source [165] ]

VPA brings economic equality, which will also influence the caste system to go away from this society. Making all the people vegetarians will make the people to accept all the people as one caste. Working together with cooperation and coordination will eradicate the poverty, which is possible with VPA.

10.9. F&F - Why You Can’t Eradicate Poverty by Giving Away Money.

[How To Eradicate Poverty: What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World

by: Noreen | last updated: February 23, 2009

2. Why You Can’t Eradicate Poverty By Giving Away Money

Eradicating poverty from the world is a good goal to have. But cutting cheques and providing special favours to the poorest people of the society doesn’t work in eradicating poverty at all!

In fact, all it’ll do is make people find ways in making sure they don’t get too rich – so that they can take advantage of the free welfare cheques and free education!

Because everything that is rewarded grows… if you reward poverty, how can you expect it to wither away? Source [165] ]

VPA, make the people to work and thus involve in the process of wealth generation.

10.10. F&F - “Don’t help people who need it, help people who deserve it.”– Jim Rohn.

[How To Eradicate Poverty: What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World

by: Noreen | last updated: February 23, 2009

3. The Smart Charity Philosophy.

“Don’t help people who need it, help people who deserve it.”– Jim Rohn. Source [165] ]

Helping the people with free things, continuously based on the statistics, will make the statistics to maintain its status quo. The help to the people should be given in such a way that, they should work with cooperation and coordination and that work should bring out the use full product, thus the individuals and the nation develops.

10.11. F&F - “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese Proverb.

[How To Eradicate Poverty: What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World

by: Noreen | last updated: February 23, 2009

4. Give a Man a Fish…

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Chinese Proverb.

Your job is to teach a man how to fish only when he is willing* to learn. And when he is willing to pay the price to learn.

But how to build the desire in the hearts of poverty ridden people to raise their hands? To become willing to learn? To become willing to pay the price when they are already poor? Source [165] ]

VPA will make the people how to become better with the work they do and it coordinates the work of all the people, thus it brings development. Nothing is given free of cost in VPA, at the same time it will also see no one goes for loss in the process of work and getting the share for the work they do.

10.12. F&F - People will change themselves if they believe that they can.

[How To Eradicate Poverty: What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World

by: Noreen | last updated: February 23, 2009

5. The English Experiment to Eradicate Poverty .

People will change themselves if they believe that they can. If they believe that someone in their position has already achieved great feats. Source [165] ]

Make the people to believe in themselves, coordinate the faith among themselves, it will bring the development. VPA is the best model for it. Make the people to work with faith, the useful product will generate automatically.

10.13. F&F - The Rich vs Poor Insight.

[How To Eradicate Poverty: What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World

by: Noreen | last updated: February 23, 2009

6. The Rich vs Poor Insight

“Rich people have large libraries; poor people have large TV’s.”- Dan Kennedy

Give the poor people heroes they can look up to. And they will model after these heroes and change their lives!

Tell them rags-to-riches stories. And they will surprise you by rising out of poverty in record time!

Gift just one autobiographical rags-to-riches book to just one poor person to read. And see how his life changes. Source [165] ]Make all the poor to understand that all the present rich are the past poor, may one or few generations ago. Fill the confidence in the hearts of the poor and create the faith in the minds of the poor, and make them to understand the need for cooperation and coordination in work, it will bring the growth in a useful way.

10.14. F&F - The Bangladeshi Experiment to Eradicate Poverty.

[How To Eradicate Poverty: What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World

by: Noreen | last updated: February 23, 2009

7. The Bangladeshi Experiment to Eradicate Poverty.

Muhammad Yunus has perhaps done more to eradicate poverty than anyone else in the world. He started an organization in Bangladesh that gave out loans to poor people who wanted to start their own businesses. But he banded the people who wanted loans into groups. So that the group can motivate the members to work harder. And the group can create peer pressure on the members to pay back the loan on time.

Because of this idea of giving out mico-loans to groups, Yunus’s bank had a 98% rate of loan payback (better than most banks out there)!

Today, Kiva has made the concept of mico-loans a lot easier. You can loan money to poor people with business ideas online. These lenders will send you email updates on their progress. And pay the loan back within 6-12 months.

Action Summary: How we can make a difference...

The worst thing you can do to eradicate poverty is start giving the poor people free rides.

The best thing you can do to eradicate poverty is make the poor people believe that there were others in their situation that rose above poverty, worked hard and are rich today.

Give the poor people heroes. Tell them rags-to-riches stories. These stories will satisfy their hunger a lot more effectively than any free food programs. Because these stories will empower the poor people to earn their own food instead of relying on charity.

Gift just one autobiographical book or educate one poor person with a rags-to-riches story today. Source [165] ]

Working in groups like VPA, creates peer pressure on the members and will bring positive effect on the work, and in the attitudes. This brings the development and sustainability of system, it is necessary to maintain the welfare of all the people.

10.15. F&F - Fighting Hunger Worldwide.

[World Food Programme.

Fighting Hunger Worldwide.

India

Nearly 50 percent of the world's hungry live in India, a low-income, food-deficit country.

Around 35 percent of India's population - 350 million - is considered food-insecure, consuming less than 80 percent of minimum energy requirements.

Nutritional and health indicators are extremely low. Nearly nine out of 10 pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years suffer from malnutrition and anaemia.

Anaemia in pregnant women causes 20 percent of infant mortality. More than half of the children under five are moderately or severely malnourished, or suffer from stunting. Source [166] ]

It is possible to convert India in to high income, food rich country with VPA, thus we can bring food security for the nation. With VPA, we can eradicate all the nutrition dependent illnesses, for all the population like, children, women and adults.

10.16. F&F - POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE.

[World Food Programme.

Fighting Hunger Worldwide.

India.

WFP Activities

The objectives of WFP's Country Programme in India are to:

Combat malnutrition and invest in human resources;

Help improve immediate food security for selected target groups;

Maximize the active participation of women in projects;

Advocate joint forest management;

Help strengthen distribution channels for locally-produced food grains;

Increase agricultural production and create employment.

Specific beneficiaries include poor women (especially mothers), at-risk children, and poor forest-dependent populations.

POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE(1999-2000 Survey)

30-day recall

7-day recall

Andhra Pradesh 15.8 13.8Assam 36.1 30.6Bihar 42.6 36.7Gujarat 14.1 12.8Haryana 8.7 7.8Karnataka 20.0 16.6Kerala 12.7 11.1Madhya Pradesh 37.4 34.8Maharashtra 25.0 22.6Orissa 47.2 43.4Punjab 6.2 5.3Rajasthan 15.3 13.9Tamil Nadu 21.1 19.3Uttar Pradesh 31.2 28.8West Bengal 27.0 23.4ALL INDIA 26.1 23.3Figures are in percentage and relate to rural and urban areas combined. Source [167] ]

With VPA, it is possible to Combat malnutrition, achieve food security in all the groups, both men and women can participate well in the activities of the VPA, VPWT will also involve in the forest management, VPA will participate in the process of distributing the locally-produced food grains, VPA increases the agricultural production and creates employment, all the segments of the people becomes the beneficiaries of the VPA including poor women (especially mothers), at-risk children, and poor forest-dependent populations.

10.17. F&F - Indian children suffer more malnutrition than in Ethiopia.

[TIMES ON LINE.

From The Times

February 22, 2007

Indian children suffer more malnutrition than in Ethiopia.

India has higher rates of malnourished children than sub-Saharan Africa, despite having the money to tackle the problem, according to a survey that raises grave questions about the country’s economic rise.

Almost 46 per cent of Indian children under the age of 3 suffer from malnutrition, according to the survey by the Indian Health Ministry in conjunction with Unicef, the United Nations children’s agency. That compares with about 35 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa and only 8 per cent in China, whose economic growth India strives to emulate. It also represents only a slight decrease since the last National Family Health Survey in India seven years ago showed that 47 per cent of its children were mal-nourished.

The results provide a shocking illustration of how India’s recent economic gains, while enriching the social elite and middle classes, have failed to benefit almost half of its 1.1 billion people.

India’s economy has grown by more than 8 per cent annually since 2003 and hit $4 trillion (based on purchasing power parity) by the end of last year — more than double that of the whole of Africa. The country now has the sort of budget, foreign exchange reserves, transport infrastructure, human resources and stable political environment that are the envy of most sub-Saharan countries.

Yet its child malnourishment levels are worse than Ethiopia’s and on a par with those of Eritrea and Burkina Faso.

Werner Schultink, chief of child development and nutrition for Unicef in India, said that the country’s failure to address malnourishment and other health problems compromised the world’s ability to reach the millennium development goals of halving global poverty and hunger by 2015. It also threatened to wipe out the “demographic dividend” of having a relatively young population by creating a generation of underdeveloped and, in some cases, mentally retarded workers, he said. Source [168] ]

VPA – MV – MN will eradicate the problem to malnutrition completely, since 2015 is close to 2014, it may not be possible to achieve the goal soon with this project, but within five years of completion of this project, we can spontaneously see the eradication of malnutrition in the society.

10.18. F&F - Why the Fight against Poverty Is Failing.

[Why the Fight against Poverty Is Failing: A Contrarian View

Misuse of Funds;

Governments, international agencies and donors have spent billions of dollars to address poverty. For example, in rural India, the government spends significant funds on subsidies (for electricity, fertilizer, fuels, etc.), food rations, price supports, land allocation/distribution, job training and financial assistance for initiatives in agriculture and small businesses. Loans from the World Bank and other international agencies and bilateral aid supplement domestic government resources. But who has benefited from all these programs and assistance?

The beneficiaries are usually corrupt officials who manage and distribute funds, and landlords and powerbrokers who directly or indirectly extract benefits for themselves. In India, over 90% of the agricultural land is owned and partly cultivated by less than 10% of the rural population who are termed farmers; others are mostly labourers. Governments allocate land to the poor, but they are unable to utilize it because of limited water resources, bad soil conditions, and/or the inability to secure credit. Larger subsidies benefit bigger farmers, but the poor do not gain much directly from any government programs. Source [169] ]

It is necessary learn from the past and it is well known that the Governments, international agencies and donors have already spent billions of dollars to address poverty like the government spending significant funds in rural area on subsidies (for electricity, fertilizer, fuels, etc.), food rations, price supports, land allocation/distribution, job training and financial assistance for initiatives in agriculture and small businesses. All these have not worked out in the past to eradicate the poverty.

The programmes might have benefitted the corrupt officials who manage and distribute funds, and landlords and powerbrokers who directly or indirectly extract benefits for themselves. This type of corruption can be well managed with VPA – MV – MN, and replacing all the ‘notes and coins’ with ‘card and thumb’. Everything becomes accountable the officials will not be able to receive the money or the materials. It is not necessary to change the owners of the land, and it the owners will get their share for their area of land. All the land will be utilised effectively with VPA, RCS will supply water to all the land. Subsidies will not be required once the VPA start working in full extent.

10.19. F&F - Corruption and misallocation of development funds are ultimately the result of failed governance.

[Why the Fight against Poverty Is Failing: A Contrarian View

The presumption that with more money, corrupt and inefficient governments and bureaucratic institutions will utilize funds efficiently and improve the deplorable conditions of the poor is an illusion. There are too many impediments to poverty reduction: bribery, political influence in the allocation of land and/or credit, diffused focus and priorities, poor execution, a shortage of rural infrastructure, and social inequality, among other factors. Supporters of the "more money" approach should be reminded of what the late Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi once admitted: Less than 15 cents of each dollar in assistance intended for the poor finally gets to them. That is not to say that assistance should not be increased. But the real focus should be on ensuring that the allocated resources reach the poor.

Corruption and misallocation of development funds are ultimately the result of failed governance. Why bad governance? Unethical and illegal practices flourish in countries without free and independent press to investigate wrongful practices. Where the press is not sufficiently strong, there is little chance of preventing the "opportunistic behaviour" of individuals, businesses and officials. Corruption can be reduced by assuring press freedom and strengthening private social institutions (such as advocacy groups) that stay independent. (Surprisingly, a democracy like India does not permit private radio stations to broadcast daily news!)

If citizens cannot rely on an impartial judicial system, there is little hope for a just and fair society. Societies that do not protect property and person from predators cannot expect to create sufficient wealth for everyone. It is the erosion of press independence and the weakness of legal system that are most troubling. Source [169] ]

It is necessary to understand that by investing more money, it is not possible to eradicate the poverty. It is necessary to create the situation in such a way that neither people will be able to take the corruption nor they will be able to use the same. Better organisation of the entire system from the grass root level is possible with VPA. With VPA, all the government programmes can be efficiently administered and we can achieve the better results. Bribery can be prevented to the full extent as the officials will not be able to use the bribed money. Politicians will not be able to manipulate the things as everything gets recorded and all the activities will have protocols, formulated by the government at the centre.

10.20. F&F - Poverty, in large part, can be solved if the poor gain new skills and if more jobs become available in the rural sector.

[Why the Fight against Poverty Is Failing: A Contrarian View

Poverty, in large part, can be solved if the poor gain new skills and if more jobs become available in the rural sector. For some, the solution lies in ownership of a permanent income generating asset:

land. The poor need to have the opportunity to own and develop land, and grow profitable crops that can be sold in a competitive market.

More money is not a prerequisite for success; proper use of available funds is. There is no substitute for good planning, effective organization and execution with accountability. Only those who bear financial risk can be expected to perform effectively. Source [169] ]

All the people gain good skills, all the people get the jobs, the jobs gives good income in a continuous manner, people will be able to get good profit with the crop they grow, with VPA both for the poor and the rich. Good planning, effective organisation, effective execution of work with accountability is possible with VPA.

10.21. F&F - Handouts will not solve poverty; neither will it be solved by grand government projects, or by piecemeal interventions of NGOs.

[Why the Fight against Poverty Is Failing: A Contrarian View

Handouts will not solve poverty; neither will it be solved by grand government projects, or by piecemeal interventions of NGOs. Instead, poverty will be solved with vibrant economic activity driven mostly by the private sector. The hundreds of millions of new jobs that are needed each year will come mainly from corporate business ventures in rural areas. The developmental strategy to address poverty must embrace this reality.

A market-based approach to poverty reduction will result in income and wealth creation, and lay the groundwork for the next generation to avail of a wider range of opportunities with enhanced resources. Source [169] ]

VPA will lead to vibrant economic activity in the nation, VPA becomes the corporate body for agriculture – industry – business and will generate jobs for millions of people, all the working people getting jobs with good income will make the nation developed.

10.22. F&F - India's recent economic growth has widened economic inequality across the country.

[India's recent economic growth has widened economic inequality across the country. Despite sustained high economic growth rate, approximately 80% of its population lives on less than $2 a day (PPP), more than double the same poverty rate in China. Even though the arrival of Green Revolution brought end to famines in India, 40% of children under the age of three are underweight and a third of all men and women suffer from chronic energy deficiency. Source [170] ]

VPA will bring drastic growth in the economy for all the people and it will also maintain the income generated with work will reach all the people equally in a transparent way, thus the economic inequality can be brought down to maximum extent.

10.23. F&F - Seventy-seven percent of Indians - about 836 million people - live on less than half a dollar a day.

[Nearly 80 pct of India lives on half dollar a day

Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:05am EDT

NEW DELHI, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Seventy-seven percent of Indians -- about 836 million people -- live on less than half a dollar a day in one of the world's hottest economies, a government report said.

The state-run National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) said most of those living on below 20 rupees (50 US cents) per day were from the informal labour sector with no job or social security, living in abject poverty.

"For most of them, conditions of work are utterly deplorable and livelihood options extremely few," said the report, entitled "Conditions of Work and Promotion of Livelihoods in the Unorganised Sector", seen by Reuters on Friday.

"Such a sordid picture co-exists uneasily with a shining India that has successfully confronted the challenge of globalisation powered by economic competition both within the country and across the world."

Around 26 percent of India's population lives below the poverty line, this is defined as 12 rupees per day, said officials.

Economic liberalisation since the early 1990s has created a 300 million-strong middle class and led to an average annual economic growth of 8.6 percent over the last four years, but millions of the country's poor remain untouched by the boom.

According to the report, based on data from 2004-2005, 92 percent of India's total workforce of 457 million were employed as agricultural labourers and farmers, or in jobs such as working in quarries, brick kilns or as street vendors.

The report said the majority of those working and living under "miserable conditions" were lower castes, tribal people and Muslims and the most disadvantaged of these were women, migrant workers and children.

"This is the other world which can be characterised as the India of the Common People, constituting more than three-fourths of the population and consisting of all those whom the growth has, by and large, bypassed," said the report.

The NCEUS report, which was presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, recommends the government provide social security benefits such as maternity and medical expenses as well as pensions to people working in the unorganised sector. Source [171] ]

All the people will be getting good income for their work with VPA, thus the economy of the individual and the nation can be made better with VPA. VPA will give secure life to all the people working with it and they will be earning more than the requirement, and with this it is possible to face the challenges of globalisation powered by economic competition and the poverty can be completely eradicated from the nation. More than economical liberalisation as it was done in all these years, it is the ‘economic productivity’ that is going to be focussed with VPA, and the VPA will achieve this goal.With VPA the entire workforce will be used in a effective way, and the scientific backup will be given by the experts in the field by the government, and all the people are equally considered without the brands of caste / creed / so on. Giving assurances like providing the social security to the various groups of people from the treasury of the government without thing about the things like how to fill it back as it empties from one side will make the treasury empty fast and the programmes of providing the social security will end with that government itself, the new government will tell there is no funds to continue the same programme.

10.24. F&F - India is home to roughly one-third of all poor people in the world.

[One-third of world's poor in India: Survey

27 Aug 2008, 0211 hrs IST, TNN

NEW DELHI: India is home to roughly one-third of all poor people in the world. It also has a higher proportion of its population living on less than $2 per day than even sub-Saharan Africa.

That is the sobering news coming out of the World Bank's latest estimates on global poverty. The fine print of the estimates also shows that the rate of decline of poverty in India was faster between 1981 and 1990 than between 1990 and 2005. This is likely to give fresh ammunition to those who maintain that economic reforms, which started in 1991, have failed to reduce poverty at a faster rate.

India, according to the new estimates, had 456 million people or about 42% of the population living below the new international poverty line of $1.25 per day. The numbers of Indian poor also constitute 33% of the global poor, which is pegged at 1.4 billion people.

India also had 828 million people, or 75.6% of the population living below $2 a day. Sub-Saharan Africa, considered the world's poorest region, is better — it has 72.2% of its population (551m) people below the $2 a day level.

The estimates are based on recently recalculated purchasing power a parity (PPP) exchange rate, which makes comparisons across countries possible. The dollar exchange rates being referred to here, therefore, are not the ones used in normal exchange rates.

While the full report has not yet been released, a briefing note sent by the Bank had some of the data and showed that the poverty rate — those below $1.25 per day — for India had come down

from 59.8% in 1981 to 51.3% by 1990 or 8.5 percentage points over nine years. Between 1990 and 2005, it declined to 41.6%, a drop of 9.7 percentage points over 15 years, clearly a much slower rate of decline.

An FAQ on the new estimates, also provided by the Bank, however states, "India has maintained even progress against poverty since the 1980s, with the poverty rate declining at a little under one percentage point per year." Source [172] ]

Poverty can be effectively eradicated with VPA, and it is possible to bring the sustainable economic growth for all the people of India.

10.25. F&F - First official announcement of the Indian Poverty Line was made in the Rajya Sabha on December, 21, 1978.

[Below Poverty Line;

The development planning in India aimed at bringing the weaker section of the society to the main stream of development. However, the growth models adopted for development in first two decades of planning which were based on 'trickle down' theory could not provide any relief to the downtrodden people. It is well proved by the recorded population of 75% people living below poverty line in the year 1973-1974. In order to overcome this situation Government of India brought out specific programmes for the poorer section of society since the inception of Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-79). Concerted efforts were made by Government of India for the eradication of poverty. As a corollary to it, the first official announcement of the Indian Poverty Line was made in the Rajya Sabha on December, 21, 1978 by the then Prime Minister. Source [173] ]

VPA is the answer for eradicating the poverty, which uses the ‘god given land and water’ effectively to bring the growth of the individual and the nation. Just shifting the money from one point to another will not make much difference in long run.

10.26. F&F - Planning Commission recalculates the poverty line every year adjusting it for inflation.

[Below Poverty Line:

The poverty line, as announced, was based on the rupee value of a specified nutritional requirement. It was stipulated that the calorie standard for a typical individual in rural areas was 2400 calories and 2100 calories in urban areas. Then the cost of the grains that fulfil this normative standard was calculated. This cost was the poverty line. In 1978, it was Rs. 71.30 and Rs. 61.80 per person per month for rural and urban areas respectively. Since then, the Planning Commission recalculates the poverty line every year adjusting it for inflation. In 1999-2000 the poverty line stood at Rs. 454.00 and Rs. 328.00 in rural and urban areas respectively. Source [173] ]

It is the need to rise the income of the individual and he family more than the money required to have food (Caloric requirement), but to have a house of his own, to spend money for his recreation, to spend money for the events in the life birth – marriage – death and so on, even if the nation provides the free health and education to its people, and this should be the income, and this income target will be achieved by the VPA.

10.27. F&F - Planning Commission's Poverty Line merely as a 'Starvation Line'.

[Below Poverty Line:

In a society where poverty is so pervasive and visible, the social scientists, particularly economists come forward to understand the nature and magnitude of poverty. In this regard the economists viewed Planning Commission's Poverty Line merely as a 'Starvation Line'. According to them food is not the only requirement of a human being. Even in terms of nutrition, the estimates of the Planning Commission are way off. According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Nutrition, under the aegis of Indian Council of Medical Research, the chief authority of nutritional standard in India, the typical rural Indian requires 2900 calories and Indian urbanite require 2400 calories per day per head respectively. Furthermore, the Planning Commission did not mention the minimum requirements of protein, mineral or vitamins. Based on these analogies the Economists emphasized upon stipulating the minimum needs that make up the basic standard of living. Source [173] ]

With VPA all the individuals will be able to have adequate nutritious diet with required calories, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals in their diet. This we can make sure with their purchase of materials from the VPA shopping complex, by periodic health check up children for their normal development and signs of deficiency diseases, and the adults for signs of over or under nutrition through VPA – VPS – VPH.

With VPA – MV – MN, it is possible to make the people to have adequate calories, proteins, minerals and vitamins through their diet and also it possible to make them to have a good and comfortable of house of their own in the MV and to lead a decent life in this world.

10.28. F&F - Poverty and over population have been identified as the two main causes of child labour.

[Poverty and over population have been identified as the two main causes of child labour. Parents are forced to send little children in to hazardous jobs for reasons of survival, even when they know it is wrong. Monetary constraints and the need for food, shelter and clothing drives their children in the trap of premature labour. Over population in some regions creates paucity of resources. When there are limited means and more mouths to feed children are driven to commercial activities and

not provided for their development needs. This is the case in most Asian and African countries. Source [130] ]

Poverty can be eradicated, the population can be well controlled, child labour can be eradicated, and we can make the people to work continuously, constructively with good productivity by VPA.

10.29. F&F - Eradicating poverty from the world is a good goal to have.

[Eradicating poverty from the world is a good goal to have. But cutting cheques and providing special favours to the poorest people of the society doesn’t work in eradicating poverty at all!

In fact, all it’ll do is make people find ways in making sure they don’t get too rich – so that they can take advantage of the free welfare cheques and free education!

Because everything that is rewarded grows… if you reward poverty, how can you expect it to wither away? Source [174] ]

VPA will support the nation from all the angles instead of receiving the cheques. The people who work in the VPA will be providing the funds for all the national programmes. When once the VPA, starts it productivity it is not going to stop for ever.

10.30. F&F - The worst thing you can do to eradicate poverty is start giving the poor people free rides.

[How we can make a difference...

- The worst thing you can do to eradicate poverty is start giving the poor people free rides.

- The best thing you can do to eradicate poverty is make the poor people believe that there were others in their situation that rose above poverty, worked hard and are rich today.

- Give the poor people heroes. Tell them rags-to-riches stories. These stories will satisfy their hunger a lot more effectively than any free food programs. Because, these stories will empower the poor people to earn their own food instead of relying on charity. Source [174] ]

VPA will never give any free ride to any one, not even a single paisa. The VPA is going to keep the record for all, the working members will get his share for the number of days he worked with the VPA, and the owner member will get his share for the area land that he has contributed under his owner ship in the record. In this way VPA is a very calculative organisation. VPA is not a charity organisation, it is principles on the basis of ‘work is worship’ and the people get the income for the work they do with the VPA. All of us need to understand that there is no shortcut for hard work;

hard work will make any one rich in this work, if the person is not under the cover, VPA will uncover all the people and it will maintain transparency in its activity.

10.31. F&F - Wealth distribution in India is fairly uneven.

[India's per capita income (nominal) is $820, ranked 128th in the world, while its per capita (PPP) of US$3,700 is ranked 118th.

Although income inequality in India is relatively small (Gini coefficient: 32.5 in year 1999- 2000) it has been increasing of late. Wealth distribution in India is fairly uneven, with the top 10% of income groups earning 33% of the income. Despite significant economic progress, a quarter of the nation's population earns less than the government-specified poverty threshold of $0.40/day. 27.5% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2004–2005. Source [175] ]

Per capita income can be increased with VPA. Income inequality can be decreased by increasing the income of the poor through productivity, but not by decreasing the income of the rich or not by shifting the money from one segment to another or not by giving free money or free support to any people. It is possible to make all the people economically strong with VPA.

10.32. F&F - Some facts & figures on poverty in India.

[India statistics, facts and figures

Some facts & figures on poverty in India.

- people below poverty line: about 260 million (acc. to AB Vajpayee Feb. 04).

- poor living in India: one quarter of the world's poor (BBC Aug 04).

- people living on less than 1 Euro per day (50-55 Rs) 2004: about 30 % of population.

- number of people in India living on less than 50 pence per day: about 300 million (BBC News Night, Oct 2006).

- number of people living in slums: 150 million (BBC 15 sep 2004).

- people in Mumbai living in shanty towns, open spaces, or on pavements: 50% of Mumbai's population (BBC, Nov 2005).

- world's largest slum: located in Mumbai; Dharavi, 432 acres.

- number of inhabited buildings declared as dangerous or dilapidated in Mumbai: 19,000 [BBC; Sep 2005)

- number of children in India who die before the age of 5: 63 out of 1000 according to UN report [BBC; Sep 2005)

- children under 3 years of age in Orissa severely malnourished: 21 % (Feb 04, acc to National Family Health Survey); or 3.8 % (acc. to data collected by the state)

- tribal children below the age of six who have died of malnourishment-related causes in 15 districts of Maharashtra: 9,000 (between Apr 2003 and May 2004)

- number of street children in Delhi: 150,000 estimate [BBC; Sep 2005. Source [69] ]

‘Poverty can be eradicated, slums can be eradicated, possible to make the people to live in a good house, all the building can be well constructed, malnutrition can be eradicated, mortality rates can be decreased, possible make all the children grow with their parents happily with a normal life, thus there is nothing like street children is going to exist’ - all these things are possible with VPA – MV – MN.

10.33. F&F - India's per capita income.

[India's per capita income.

India's per capita income rose by 5.2 per cent to Rs 12,416 (about $285) during 2004-05.

According to the Central Statistical Organization estimates, the per capita income during 2003-04 (Quick Estimates) stood at Rs 11,799. Source [176] ]

The per capita income can be increased further with VPA – MV – MN.

Sources:

[158] internet: India WFP United Nations World Food Programme - the UN food aid agency.

[159] Census of India 1981 cited in Weiner 1991, 20.

[160] World bank estimates, planning commission of India.

[161] deccan herald news daily. Page number 9, Tuesday, October 12th , 2010.

[162] BBC NEWS. Have Your Say Can India eradicate poverty.mht. Published: Monday, 5 February, 2007, 16:52 GMT 16:52 UK.

[163] Economy of India. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This page was last modified on 22 February 2009, at 23:16.

[164] Growth in per capita income raises India's rank.mht. Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.

[165] How To Eradicate Poverty What India Can Learn from the Rest of the World.mht.

[166] India Today Magazine.mht.

[167] Planning Commission./India Today Magazine.mht.

[168] Indian children suffer more malnutrition than in Ethiopia - Times Online.mht.

[169] Why the Fight against Poverty Is Failing A Contrarian View - India Knowledge@Wharton.mht.

[170] Internet: Economy of India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.

[171] Nearly 80 pct of India lives on half dollar a day Reuters.mht.

[172] One-third of world's poor in India Survey-India-The Times of India.mht.

[173] Internet: Below Poverty Line.

[130] Internet: www.childlabor.in.

[174] Internet: Ankesh Kothari from the site http://www.nontoxin.com/

[175] Internet: Income in India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia.

[69] Internet: India statistics facts and figures neoncarrot travelogue.

[176] http://in.rediff.com/money/2005/jun/30income.htm.