Pandemic, Poverty and Freedom

Context: Indian freedom fighters did not take the fight against poverty and inequality as being separate from the struggle against British colonialism.

The idea of Freedom from Poverty/Economic Emancipation

• It ensures freedom from exploitation, poverty and inequality
• Both in terms of money metric and education, health, employment and nutrition. 
• Linkage with political freedom: Dadabhai Naorojis estimates of poverty were closely linked to the idea of freedom from British rule and poverty. 
• It was reflected in Antyodaya or later in the reports of the National Planning Committee of 1938.
• Indian Constitution recognises the idea of economic emancipation as a precondition for a vibrant democracy.
• Democracy is incomplete without equality of access to education, employment and health.
• Indian Constitution through the Directive Principles of State Policy makes states responsible for ensuring economic equality.

Evolution of Poverty Reduction in India

• Poverty became an issue of political mobilisation and a priority for economic policy-making in the 1960s.
• For E.g. With the call of “Garibi Hatao” by Indira Gandhi.
• The 1970s saw the initiation of poverty alleviation programmes of the Centre as well as in states.
• Liberalisation paved the way for rights-based poverty alleviation: 
• State-led dirigisme has given way to a more open and liberalised state with the dominance of the market. 
• Shift to a rights-based Government initiative like NREGA, RTE, National Health Mission and expansion in food programmes
• This has led to India surpassing the  “Hindu rate of growth” of 3-4% to an average of 7% per annum.

Challenges 

• Report of consumption survey (2017-18) was leaked, but not released, showed a decline in consumption expenditure in rural areas while barely increasing in urban areas leading to a rise in poverty.
• No official estimates of poverty and inequality after 2011-12
• Post-1991 economic reforms growth has been accompanied by increasing inequality in assets and incomes.
• Pandemic induced economic crisis and declining growth indicators (even bigger than it was during the 1990s and 2000s). 

Conclusion: Freedom from poverty is a prerequisite for actualising the democratic ideals/ principles of equality, liberty and fraternity.