Q.The three-dimensional attack on poverty adopted by the government has not succeeded in poverty alleviation in India. Comment.

The government fought poverty on three fronts — growth, targeted programmes and basic amenities — but weaknesses in each meant the results, though real, fell well short of the goal.

The three approaches were growth-oriented development, specific poverty-alleviation programmes, and the provision of minimum basic amenities. Growth failed to trickle down; programme benefits we …

The government's three-dimensional approach to poverty reduction and why it fell short:

The three dimensions:

1. Growth-oriented approach — expecting the effects of rapid GDP and per capita income growth to trickle down to the poor.
2. Specific poverty-alleviation programmes — self-employment and wage-employment programmes that create assets and generate work.
3. Minimum basic amenities — public expenditure on food, education, health, water and sanitation.

Why it has not fully succeeded:

• Growth did not trickle down. Overall growth was unimpressive, population growth kept per capita income growth low, the rich-poor gap widened, and the Green Revolution worsened regional and class disparities.
• Benefits appropriated by the non-poor. Because of the unequal distribution of land and assets, the gains from direct programmes were captured by the non-poor. …