Erasing poverty

Quest gets students’ views on how the youth can of India can play a role to eradicate poverty from the Indian society.

Poverty in India is widespread,with the nation estimated to have a third of the world’s poor. According to the a 2005 World Bank estimate,42 per cent of India’s population falls below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day. Eradication of poverty in India is generally only considered to be a long-term goal but if the youth are dedicated toward eradicating poverty,it can be achieved over a short period of time. The youth of country,instead of working overseas should utilise their potential in the development of the country,which can be a step towards eradicating poverty. Corruption is the biggest barrier for eradication of poverty,which can be removed by the responsible youth.
Swapnil Suraj,IX
Lancer’s Convent School,Rohini

After 62 years of Independence,hundreds of problems have to cripple our national life. The poor have become poorer,while a handful of rich people have increased their earnings. Today,as a result of rise in the cost of living,poor people spend a greater portion of their income on food and so are left with nothing to invest in education. Illiteracy ratio is increasing,mainly among the poor people. Today,one in five children do not have access to safe water,and one in seven has no access to whatsoever essential health services.

We,the youth of this country,have enormous power to change this situation. Initiatives like forming groups and spreading awareness in rural areas,educating the illiterate in one’s own localities,creating charitable programmes for poverty etc,can be the measures which we can take against poverty. So,what are we waiting for?
Aarti N,Xl-A(Sciences)
Ramjas School,Pusa Road

“When a poor person dies of hunger,it is not because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed.”— Mother Teresa

Poverty,like a deadly disease,is constantly spreading its wings in Indian society. Today,more than 25 per cent of the Indian population lives below the poverty line and are not able to meet their basic needs — food,clothing and shelter.

Lots of reforms are done by the Indian government to equally disseminate the benefits of development among the people but ignorance,corruption and discrimination has always hindered its way. One such government initiative is the Mahatma Gandhi NREGA scheme which provides 100 days of employment to the rural poor,but a lack of awareness among people have yielded lesser benefits than desired.

Education and awareness of citizen’s rights are two major gateways for eradication of poverty. In order to combat the poverty,the youth,by spreading awareness among the weaker sections about their rights should work for creating more means of livelihood,opt for handmade things and use less machine-aided services and ensure that elementary and vocational education is available to all.
Komal Gautam,VII-A
Apeejay School,Saket

India is a country rich in social problems. One of them that top the list is poverty. Poverty is a state when a person is unable to afford his basic needs. What we always talk about in India is metros,their well spruced architecture and a handful of industrialists. We deem this development. But it is nothing but an illusion and a false sense of complacency. India is burdened with the stigma of poverty. The poor labour class is exploited by the middlemen and the wealth concentrated section of the country. The rich becoming richer and the poor are dying each day. Years after Independence,we have come only a little distance.

Poverty Alleviation Programmes (PAPs) are of little or no use. The corrupted campaigns require no explanations. The unequal distribution of wealth,the various false promises of the keepers of law has drained the hope out of the poor Indian. But the youth is well educated and knows what equality is. The young crop of leaders,victorious in the elections,can and must revolt against poverty. The youth should work with NGOs. Schools must start their own anti-poverty campaigns by helping streetchildren and their families. Teenagers can take some time out of their routines to devote some time to these poor people. Sensitivity towards these people is the only way to our ambitions of a poverty-free India. The bottom line remains that there is no point in playing the blame game and mocking the government while sitting in front of our TV sets.

Let’s be sensitive to these people and the government should wake up and keep their promises. They should be granted at least those amenities with which they can spend a satisfactory life.
Shivam Kapoor,XII-B1
Kalka Public School,Alaknanda

The struggle against poverty has evolved more and more visibly into an overarching development goal of the international community. Poverty eradication,however,is not only a development goal; it is also a central challenge for ensuring world-wide recognition of human rights.

We look down upon poor people but do we think for a while what all problems they face? They don’t have proper medical services,proper housing,nutrition and education. If they have talent,then they don’t have sources to develop them. What can we,the youth of today,do at an individual level to eradicate poverty? We can do a lot. We can spread awareness by making posters or rallies. We can organise talent shows with the help of the elders,and the money we get from these campaigns can be distributed or used to buy clothes and food and distribute it in a slum. We can have charity raising programmes. The money we spend on everyday snacks or ice-creams,we can save and give to the poor. We are literate so we can teach at least the children of our domestic helps to read and write.

These small things will make a huge difference in their lives. So let us contribute our little part in eradicating poverty from our country,because in a country well-governed,poverty is a thing to be ashamed of and we don’t want to cut a sorry figure,do we?
Suramya Agrwal,VIII-A
St Mary’s School,Safdurjung Enclave

When we consider poverty,the first thing that comes to mind is that it will always haunt us. The government won’t be able to eradicate it and neither will we. Even if we as individuals can’t take a huge step to uproot it,we can surely take a small step and contribute in our own little way. “Little drops make a mighty ocean.”

One way to contribute is by feeding the poor,instead of giving them money and thereby encouraging begging. Feeding a hungry man can make a lot of difference to your heart. At the end of the day,you will be satisfied for having made someone happy. The Indian society is longing for change. Everyday we get up to see the same things around us — the news of increasing crime rate,caste wars over trivial matters and ignorant politicians. Our reaction to all this is merely contempt,which more or less says that nothing will change in our country. Instead of waiting for someone else to bring about a change,we,as citizens of India,should wake up and unite to change the way everything works. And all this can happen only when Indians change their mindsets. With this change,India will not only develop economically but also socially,politically and culturally. So let us come together and awaken ourselves to a new world,a world where all can walk with their heads held high and say with pride that we are Indians.
Aashi Gupta,VII-A
Apeejay School,Saket