Why the results of the poverty alleviation programmes have been mixed up ?
a. We have witnessed that government has introduced number of rural poverty alleviating schemes so to create more opportunities in rural areas. Like , Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP), Prime Minister Rojgar Yojana (PMRY), National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA).
b. Government has also launched several Poverty Alleviation Programmes (PAP) that comprise a component of food security. Some of these programmes are - Mid-Day Meals, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), and Food-For-Work (FFW) etc. Besides this there are various cooperatives and NGOs such as Amul, Mother Dairy etc. who are also working intensively towards ensuring food security.
c. The results of poverty alleviation programmes however have been mixed. While some have benefited , many targeted groups are deprived of its benefits. The resaon for such a mixed performance can be attributed to the following:
i. Lack of Political Will- Even though government has introduced many schemes until and unless there is a political will on part of the state machinery to effectively implement it the policies will bear no results.
ii. Effective implementation mechanism- Merely framing policies is not enough, problem lies in the implementation process. Most of the programmes fail to reach the targeted beneficiaries as there is no effective mechanism to keep a track of the policy. It require effective control and regulation and periodic checks.
iii. Excessive corruption- This has rather been the main hindrance in the implementation process, involvement of the middlemen, red tapism in the bureaucratic machinery has severely affected implementation mechanism.
iv. Socio-Economic inequalities- Our society is characterized by grave social and economic inequalities where people face discrimination and injustice and are deprived of the benefits. It is partially due to ignorance and partially because the weaker section continue to remain educationally and economically backward.
v. Level of Awareness- It is important to create awareness about governments policies and programmes through local bodies and village communities.