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Poverty, , Poverty is the inability to fulfil, the minimum requirements of, life like basic food requirements,, clothing, shelter, health, and, education. In other words it is, a situation in which section of, people are unable to get their, minimum basic needs such as, food, cloth, shelter etc., , Who are the poor?, , The poor are characterized, by:, , 1. Lack of adequate food:, Starvation and hunger is a, widespread phenomenon, for the poor. They are, unable to fulfil their, minimum food, requirements. Also,, malnutrition is a key, , D
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requirements. Also,, malnutrition is a key, feature among the poor., , 2. Illiteracy and lack of, skills: The poor have very, limited opportunities due, to lack of basic literacy, and skills., , 3. Lack of basic amenities, and healthcare: They do, not have access to clean, drinking water, electricity,, or basic healthcare, facilities. Poor women do, not get the required, medical care during, pregnancy that leads to, serious illness and, disability for both the child, and mother. Illness makes, them physically weak and, further limits their, opportunities, , 4. Unemployment: The ¥, unstable employment., Rural poor work as
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agriculture labourers with, very small landholdings or, as landless labourers, engaged in non —, agricultural activities. The, urban poor work ina, variety of informal, employment or are, self-employed, selling a, variety of items along, roadsides., , . Indebtedness: For their, survival, the poor borrow, from money lenders, who, exploit them by charging, high interest rates and this, result in chronic, indebtedness., , Types of poverty:, 4, , e Absolute pover., when household
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e Absolute poverty is, when household, , income is below a, certain level, which, makes it impossible, for the person or, family to meet basic, needs of life, including food,, shelter, safe drinking, water, education,, healthcare, etc., , e Relative poverty ‘is, when households, , receive 50% less, than average, household incomes,, so they do have some, money but still not, enough money to, afford , food shelter,, safe drinking wateducation, *, healthcare, etc.
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Categorizing Poverty:, , 1. Chronic Poor — Those who, are constantly poor, as, well as those who are, typically poor. As an, example, workers who do, not own land, i.e., landless, workers and those who, work on a contract basis,, i.e., casual workers., , 2. Transient Poor — Those, who keep moving in and, out of poverty like the, seasonal workers and, occasionally poor: who are, usually not poor but, sometimes, face a rough, patch., , 3. Non-poor — Those who are, never poor.