Have you ever seen a country like this; if not read the following interesting facts about our country and try to understand what for we got freedom. Our leaders have only time to talk about Libya, Tunisia, Afghanistan, Egypt and Pakistan apart from grabbing tax payers’ hard earned money in all possible ways to have a comfortable life. They do not have time for India or its poor or to think how corrupt their own country is. Their main worry in life is of the disorders of other nations. Let them first show better examples in life and to the people instead of talking about other countries of this world. When they can’t do anything for their own country how can they go and reform other nations.
PART ONE:
Mail Today – Thu, Mar 3, 2011 11:46 AM IST
MLA Jaunpuria’s daughter married Congress leader Kanwar Tanwar’s son, fireworks flew &so did the oohs &aahs on the father of the bride’s gift, a five- seater helicopter, to the groom.
Gifting cars, even expensive ones, to the daughter on her wedding is passé. It’s choppers that are in, if you have the moolah to dish out.
Two politicos proved they had the money on Tuesday as they wed their daughter and son in the Capital in a lavish ceremony that is estimated to have cost Rs 250 crore
PART TWO
Poverty is widespread in India, with the nation estimated to have a third of the world's poor. According to a 2005 World Bank estimate, 41% of India falls below the international poverty line of US$ 1.25 a day (PPP, in nominal terms 21.6 a day in urban areas and 14.3 in rural areas); having reduced from 60% in 1981
According to the criterion used by the Planning Commission of India 27.5% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2004–2005, down from 51.3% in 1977–1978, and 36% in 1993-1994. A study by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative using a Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) found that there were 645 million[3] poor living under the MPI in India, 421 million of whom are concentrated in eight North India and East India states of Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. This number is higher than the 410 million poor living in the 26 poorest African nations.
Estimates by NCAER (National Council of Applied Economic Research), show that 48% of the Indian households earn more than 90,000 (US$1,953) annually (or more than US$3 PPP per person). According to NCAER, in 2009, of the 222 million households in India, the absolutely poor households (annual incomes below 45,000) accounted for only 15.6 % of them or about 35 million (about 200 million Indians). Another 80 million households are in income levels of 45,000-90,000 per year.
Since the 1950s, the Indian government and non-governmental organizations have initiated several programs to alleviate poverty, including subsidizing food and other necessities, increased access to loans, improving agricultural techniques and price supports, and promoting education and family planning. These measures have helped eliminate famines, cut absolute poverty levels by more than half, and reduced illiteracy and malnutrition
However, according to the latest NCAER estimates, in 2009, only 15.6% of the households or 200 million people, had income levels less than 45,000 annually(US$ 1.4 PPP per person)[10].On the other hand, the Planning Commission of India uses its own criteria and has estimated that 27.5% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2004–2005, down from 51.3% in 1977–1978, and 36% in 1993-1994[2]. The source for this was the 61st round of the National Sample Survey (NSS) and the criterion used was monthly per capita consumption expenditure below 356.35 for rural areas and 538.60 for urban areas. 75% of the poor are in rural areas, most of them are daily wagers, self-employed householders and landless labourers.
Although the Indian economy has grown steadily over the last two decades, its growth has been uneven when comparing different social groups, economic groups, geographic regions, and rural and urban areas. Between 1999 and 2008, the annualized growth rates for Gujarat (8.8%), Haryana (8.7%), or Delhi (7.4%) were much higher than for Bihar (5.1%), Uttar Pradesh (4.4%), or Madhya Pradesh (3.5%). Poverty rates in rural Orissa (43%) and rural Bihar (41%) are among the world's most extreme A study by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative using a Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) found that there were 645 million[14] poor living under the MPI in India, 421 million of whom are concentrated in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. This number is higher than the 410 million poor living in the 26 poorest African nations.
