India census exposes extent of poverty

[nair]

I have. Not seen the entire conversation, but let me tell you poverty is something which should not be argued or made fun of ( I am not talking about u here, rather general and to those who compare poverty of south asia).... It is sad that we argue on those poor souls who suffer in life and none of us know actually know how is to be a poor....

Yes we have a problem.... a very serious one.....

What kind of warped logic is that ? A person earns more than twice the amount of another but have to spend more on food but end up worse than the person that earns half as less ?

So if a Indian slum dweller earns earns more than a average middle class Sri Lankan how come there is more average of poor people in India.. My gosh by your calculations India is a veritable first world country !! So this 20,000 figure you came up with.. Is it your imagination or do you have any verified source to prove it, If not it holds no validation but of a made up figure to prove a false point

You're accusing me of giving data that sucks but mate the only data you have given just shows not even half of the point.. Americans spend less on food because they have many other luxuries to spend on , Luxuries Indians can ill afford to spend on.. That graph proves nothing.

Again please explain to the forum, How does an average person that has a purchasing power of $11,000 be worse off than somebody with $5800.. When all indications show that the person with the high income has way much less malnutrition because of his ability to buy food despite the higher prices, Is healthier Because he has expendable income to get required medication, Better educated because he can afford schooling, Better standard of living because he can afford better standard of accommodation and afford to pay for amenities clean pipe born water, Sanitation and electricity

The only argument you have is Indians spend less on food therefore they are better off than an average Lankan.. Infact a poor Indian is better off than a middle class Sri Lankan

This is a very simple question mate.. Pls do enlighten us

Btw i just need verification on your claim of a slum dweller in India is better off than a middle class Sri lankan because they earn 20,000( i'm not sure if your claiming USD or Rupees here)

@nair , @Bang Galore.. A little clarification guys

 

[Shotgunner51]

India's latest Socioeconomic and Caste Census (SECC) paints a stark picture of widespread rural poverty and deprivation.

Of the 300 million households surveyed, an overwhelming majority (73%) live in villages. Of this rural population, less than 5% earn enough to pay taxes, only 2.5% own a 4-wheeler vehicle and less than 10% have salaried jobs.

Not only does rural India have miserable statistics on income and asset ownership, its literacy rates are low. Only 3.5% of students graduate and around 35.7% of residents can't read or write.

It comes as no surprise that the bulk of the Indian population is still overwhelmingly poor.

Past surveys and experts have continued to emphasize the chasm between the two disparate pictures of India -- one that owns ambitious space and nuclear programs, and boasts of billionaires and information technology prowess, and the one in the villages, of which 92 million households (51%) earn their living by manual labor.

The self-reported data from the SECC survey will be used for targeting new and existing welfare schemes. Toeing the line taken by the previous administration, the government refrained from making caste data public.

What does it mean to be 'poor'?

India's definition of "poor" has been hotly debated by development economists and activists, with several finding the official poverty line too low and leaving out a number of people who might still need government assistance. In 2014, a report by the Indian government Planning Commissionestimated that 363 million Indians, making up 29.5% of the total population, were living below the poverty line in 2011-12. The report, by the Rangarajan Expert Group, also estimates that the India poverty ratio fell from 38.2% to 29.5% between 2009-10 and 2011-12, lifting 91.6 million individuals out of poverty.

According to a Pew Research Center report released this month, while people were able to move up the social ladder from poor to low income during the last decade, the actual number of people in the middle class (living on $10-20 a day) barely budged from 1% in 2001 to 3% in 2011. Most developing countries set poverty lines far below those of advanced country levels.

Living on double the Indian Planning Commission poverty line of $2.40 per day would still mean not meeting nutritional and other needs at developed economy levels. Many poor people "lifted out of poverty" are still living at levels closer to $2.40 than $10 per day. The Pew report estimates that at the proposed Rangarajan poverty line, food consumption alone would take up 57% of a rural family's budget and 47% of an urban family's budget.

India census shows extent of poverty - CNN.com

There is a similar thread posted early July. Key summary from that report:

• National average, rural households 73%. Of these:
  • 74.5% of rural household have an income of the highest earning member below Rs. 5,000 per month (i.e. US$2.6 per day, close to poverty line)
  • Only 8.3% of rural households have an income of the highest earning member above Rs. 10,000 per month.
  • Over 50% of rural households get the bulk of their incomes from manual casual labour.
  • 56% do not own any land.
• National average, illiteracy rate 35.73%
  
• National average, education below the primary level 13.97%

73 per cent of households lives in rural India
73% of households live in rural India: Socio-Economic and Caste Census - The Hindu

 

[gau8av]

it's true, India is one of the poorest places on earth where large sections live in destitute poverty but it's just bigger numbers here because of the massive population. All across the sub continent you'll find the same level of poverty and horrible living standards for the poor.

The Indian government is trying to fix it by inviting foreign investment, which really is the only cure for it, though even with said foreign investment it looks like there will always be some poor, but any reduction is a good thing, and we'll take it.

 

[My-Analogous]

Dude you're just going around in circles..Please explain to this forum in simple terms with valid stats NOT on your assumptions, How a person with $11,000 to sustain himself with his/her daily needs be worse off than a person with $5800 ? So how does an average Indian beat Sri Lankan in income ? And i'm not arguing with you about the higher cost of living in Sri Lanka, I actually agree

Now on top of that 29% of Indians are under the poverty line, As oppose to 6.4% Lankans with no abject poverty, And even that 6.4% have better Health care and nutrition than the 29% according to all multitude of international consensus and agencies because unlike India, Sri Lankan poor does not suffer from abject poverty

Now given much lower rates of malnutrition in an average Lankan to that of a Indian means even with much higher costs of living an Average Sri Lankan can afford it.. Just imagine the dire straits an Indian would be if he/she has to purchase goods at the rate a Sri Lankan would have to

Now if we're to go with your argument on Cost of living comparison to living standards, Shouldn't..

1. A average Lankans purchasing power parity be lower than an Indians
2. Given the unaffordability of basic food and nutrition Sri Lankans health and malnutrition would be far worse than Indians

Now given that neither is true and actually the opposite

Could you pls explain how an Indian slum dweller be better off than a middle class Sri Lankan.. You should have given this a thought before you posted such articles

Btw still going on with your argument this is the cost of living comparison to the US with India

Cost Of Living Comparison Between India And United States

I suppose the poor Americans are so worse off than Indians.. Actually they're even worse off than Lankans..

Now you reach a point where they will asked you to correct your English.

 

[Gibbs]

I have. Not seen the entire conversation, but let me tell you poverty is something which should not be argued or made fun of ( I am not talking about u here, rather general and to those who compare poverty of south asia).... It is sad that we argue on those poor souls who suffer in life and none of us know actually know how is to be a poor....

Yes we have a problem.... a very serious one.....

Never my intention to make fun of misery.. You would notice that if you have seen my past conversations.. What I found hilarious is the other posters flawed logic.. When every sensible verifiable stat information prove other wise.. Just wanted you're verification on certain figures he mentioned because I hold you in high regard of someone I can count on for sensible and truthful information irrespective of subject discussed

As for further comments by me seem to be futile for this thread since the said poster is hell bent on on sticking to his, However absurd it is

I could express my first hand experience having been somebody who had visited India numerous times and covered most of its vast landscape.. But that might be taken in offense and derail the thread

 

[Samudra Manthan]

Never my intention to make fun of misery.. You would notice that if you have seen my past conversations.. What I found hilarious is the other posters flawed logic.. When every sensible verifiable stat information prove other wise.. Just wanted you're verification on certain figures he mentioned because I hold you in high regard of someone I can count on for sensible and truthful information irrespective of subject discussed

As for further comments by me seem to be futile for this thread since the said poster is hell bent on on sticking to his, However absurd it is

I could express my first hand experience having been somebody who had visited India numerous times and covered most of its vast landscape.. But that might be taken in offense and derail the thread

Here is a discussion on Quora about the earnings of an Auto rickshaw driver in Mumbai. It exactly correlates with my own knowledge of their earnings.

Someone told me that, "An average auto rickshaw driver in mumbai earns more than an average engineer." Is it true? - Quora

This report is from 2010 where they claim to be earning 10 k to 12 k, obviously earnings have gone up since then keeping up with the inflation

Rickshaw driving is better than doing a job in Ahmedabad | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis

 

[nair]

That post was not to you ( though I quoted your post) I also mentioned I don't mean u in that....

I have travelled several states of India and I know certian part of my country is in pretty bad shape....actually at times feel sad looking at the conversation here wrt poverty..mostly the conversation are to prove who is deeper in sh!t....

As I said thepost was ingeneral towards the thread not specific to you and I have high regards towards u based on our conversation here

Never my intention to make fun of misery.. You would notice that if you have seen my past conversations.. What I found hilarious is the other posters flawed logic.. When every sensible verifiable stat information prove other wise.. Just wanted you're verification on certain figures he mentioned because I hold you in high regard of someone I can count on for sensible and truthful information irrespective of subject discussed

As for further comments by me seem to be futile for this thread since the said poster is hell bent on on sticking to his, However absurd it is

I could express my first hand experience having been somebody who had visited India numerous times and covered most of its vast landscape.. But that might be taken in offense and derail the thread