JOIN USPoverty highest in K'taka among southern states
Poverty in the State continues to be highest among the southern states.
As per the Economic Survey report released by the Department of Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics on Tuesday, poverty is still a major cause for concern for Karnataka.
As in 2009-10, Karnataka has 10.87 million (1.087 crore) poor people (18.5 pc). Andhra Pradesh has recorded 9.3 pc poor, Kerala 8.1 pc and Tamil Nadu 12.9 pc.
However, the poverty ratio has come down from 25 pc in 2004-05 to 18.52 pc in 2009-10. Incidence of poverty based on Planning Commission’s poverty line shows poverty ratio of 15.82 pc (5.7 million - 57 lakh) poor in rural areas, 23.54 pc (5.09 million- 50.9 lakh) in urban areas and 18.52 pc (10.87 million - 1.087 crore) poor in the State as a whole in 2009-10.
Karnataka had aimed at reducing poverty ratio to 12.4 pc in the 11th plan period from 24.9 pc in 2004-05. Though it hasn’t achieved this target, there has been an overall poverty reduction of about 6.5 pc.
2009 floods
The 2009 flash floods had impacted inland northern region (Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Gadag, Dharwad, Haveri, Bellary, Chitradurga and Davangere) of the State, making it stand out in the regional profiles of deprivation levels of living and inequality.
In 2009-10, the headcount rate of poverty in this region was 26.31 pc, higher than the State’s percentage (15.82). While coastal and ghats registered 1.41 pc poverty, inland eastern recorded 4.56 pc and inland southern region 4.94 pc poor.
The department of planning has opined that proper implementation of different schemes, promotion of livelihood, modernising agriculture, setting up rural industries and upgrading skills should be considered, if the State wants to sustain the progress in reduction of poverty.
Malnutrition
The planning department has expressed concern over malnutrition among children in the State. In 2007-08, the nutrition pattern showed about 47 pc of children were ‘normal’, 53 pc ‘moderately malnourished’ and 0.3 pc ‘severely malnourished’. However, in December 2011, the percentage of ‘severely malnourished’ children stood at 1.75 pc.
“Malnutrition is again an area of concern, which is intended to be tackled through introducing the proposed village child development centres and better implementation of ICDS,” it states in the report.
Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) provides supplementary nutrition, immunisation, health check-up, nutrition for children and mothers. During 2011-12, an expenditure of Rs 45,272 lakh (452.72 crore) has benefited 46.7 lakh people.