It’s a Universal principle that every one fosters a wish to live a comfortable, cozy life like affluent individuals. Despite, the main caption of the blog is given “chosen poverty.” This I would like to cite briefly by analyzing some “segments” of Indian society, who prefer a chosen poverty by their own and in a weird fashion. Every social system is supposed to be constructed of various economic layers called as ” social strata.”
The definition of this “strata” is given to get changed depending upon “time, circumstances and ambiance.” For a paradigm, a man of upper class belonging to a small city when shifts to a metropolitan city like Delhi automatically falls into the category of middle class of the metropolitan city. Since, criteria of metropolitan city puts this man into the income slab of “middle class” of the metropolitan city.
Categories of poverty
Likely to this, there are several categories of poverty in a social system. First category of poverty is “compelled by circumstances.” These people are categorized in Indian social system ( officially) as “people extremely below the poverty line.” This class been forced by circumstances to live a life in abject poverty and has been menial in working. This is an assumption. But another fact also surfaces, some of them too have raised to another upper bracket by the given efforts to education, diligence and skill. Though the number of such progressing people may be scarce.
After the category of “people extremely below the poverty line,” comes in the head of “below poverty line.” The government of India runs some welfare schemes for these people of both the categories “below the poverty line.” Under these schemes, government is providing them free of cost houses added with facility of toilet, free electricity, medical care, education and at the last “Ration” to fill their stomach at a considerably nominal cost. The grains and other nutritional edibles in the name of ration is being provided to them at a very cheap cost. It hardly can be imagined that just in a one day’s laborer’s wages, the “ration” enough for a month of the entire family, this segment of the society can buy from the allocated government shops. All these hugely subsidized facilities they people are enjoying.
Mental set up
Now look into the mental set up of this class. When on the payment of almost “no cost,” all the basic needs are being fulfilled, why this class be inclined to “work hard.” Even if, they give some extra efforts to earn some extra money, that is with the sole purpose to spend that on bad hobbies. And these hobbies are consumption of country liquor and fritting the time in gambling on cards. This category of people is now contended in their present situation of life and don’t intend to come out of that situation. When some one is getting a free roof, education, education, medical facility, education etc, why would it wish to come out of that category. His category of “below the poverty line” is the only assurance of all these facilities.
Secondly, he conceives a thought, by doing the extra hard work whole through the month, still he is not going to become a rich person. This concept dissuades him to work harder and ameliorate his position and get rid of centuries long yoke of poverty. This “freebie” has enslaved his mind and he happily gives up to this situation. This is the chosen poverty. He fears, if he earns some extra money and his status crosses the barrier of “below the poverty line,” he can be barred from these facilities. This impels him to maintain a “status quo” of below the poverty line.
The ill-effects
The ill effect of these welfare schemes are ostensible on the market of “supply of laborer man power.” Prior to these welfare schemes, this category of people ever remained anxious in search of menial work eagerly. But now, he wishes to find manual work for some working days only, so he could earn money to spend on his bad hobbies only. For rest of he month he remains seated idly or busied in his acquired hobbies. This situation has created the problem of scarcity of availability of laborers. And those, who are ready to work, they have increased their wages.
This trend too helps these idlers, since for what ever countable days in a month they plan to work as a laborer, they now receive an increased wages. The ill effects are visible in every sector, where unskilled and half-skilled workers are on demand. Even in country side, village laborers are prone to shirk from regular manual work. Landholders in village side are facing the problem of unavailability of workers at the time of tilling and harvest of the crops.
In the name of welfare schemes
To say,all these programs of uplifting of poor people are running under the “welfare schemes’ of government. But in fact, in every democratic country, such schemes are planned to entice this category of people to cast their vote in favor of the ruling party in the coming general election. This tactic has ever been observed in our India. The previous governments failed to implement these schemes effectively. At that time “corruptible practice” prevailed on every stage of the scheme. Hence these schemes couldn’t produce the desired results to this class of “chosen poverty.” Though, the corruptible practice still prevails but curtailed effectively.
This has been ascertained by regular mechanism of monitoring system of its own kind. This made possible to gain the benefit for both i.e. the poor and the ruling party. Because of this tendency, class below the poverty line is happier and contended in itself. In case, some of them rise to to somewhat upper bracket, they maneuver to maintain the same status of “below poverty line” on official records and keep on enjoy the facility. This just mentioned class, too is living in somewhat cozy and comfort zone but even after enjoying the quota of the same old category. After this category of “chosen poverty” comes another category but in a galvanized form. (End of the Part 1st. Cont’d.) Pennedby — Vinay Pharasi —–
