Cause Of Poverty

In India, there are considerable proportions of the population who are residing under the conditions of poverty. Poverty is a condition when an individual is lacking the basic necessities required for living such as food, clothing, proper shelter, employment opportunities, skills and training and educational qualifications. The conditions of poverty in the lives of the individuals make them extremely depressed and despondent; they are dependent upon others for their living, when someone gives a plaything or a sweet to a small child belonging to the poverty stricken family, he feels delighted and extremely happy. People who are poverty stricken feel satisfied when they get help and assistance from others. For the country to progress, economically,

1. Climatic factors – These conditions constitute an important cause of poverty. The heat which is experienced by the rural population causes some barriers in their work due to which their production suffers. Natural calamities such as frequent floods, disasters, earthquake and cyclone cause heavy damage to agriculture. Agriculture is stated to be the major occupation of the rural people; downfall of agriculture and lack of production will certainly be the major cause of poverty for them.
2. Demographic factors – There have been demographic factors which are accountable for the growth of poverty in India. Rapid growth of population aggravates the poverty of the people. The growth of population exceeds the rate of growth in national income. Growth of the country’s population creates impediments in the removal of poverty and lowers the per capita income. Economically backward sections of the society and other disadvantaged groups are the main sufferers of the reduction in per capita income. Population growth also leads to an increase in labor supply which tends to decrease the wage

The subordination of the low caste people by the high caste people has caused the poverty of the former. The caste system in some areas was so rigid that it did not allow the low caste people to render their participation in economic development. The caste system comprised of Brahmins (teachers and priests) at the top, at the next level are the Kshatriyas (kings and warriors), next came the Vaishyas (traders and merchants) and lastly were the Shudras (unskilled workers) at the bottom. Shudras were not allowed to trade and a Vaishya could earn his bread only due to trade. Third is the joint family system. Joint family system is the family system when two or more nuclear families reside under the common roof, comprising of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and so forth. Some of the members of the family take undue advantage of living in a joint family by depending upon the income of others. They become idlers and their normal life routine just consists of eating, sleeping and begetting children; in this manner there are few earning members and the family becomes large, hence resulting in