The big hurdle for poverty alleviation

The government is budgeted to spend more than Rs1 trillion on poverty alleviation programmes, which is more than what the state and the Centre do in providing public services. For long, experts have been concerned that there are enormous leakages in these spending programmes and the benefits do not accrue to the poor. A survey, done jointly by Transparency International India and the Centre for Media Studies, shows that one in three people living below the poverty line (BPL) pay bribes to access these programmes. The findings of the nationwide survey have set the agenda. It is to be seen whether politicians and civil society will respond adequately to ensure that the growth process is indeed inclusive.