Chapter 5 · Topic 5.2 · Prelims + Mains2 of 3
Human Resources, Poverty & Hunger Issues: Poverty
Key points
- Poverty lines: Tendulkar (21.9% poor in 2011-12), Rangarajan (29.5%, not adopted). NITI MPI: 14.96% (2019-21). World Bank: 5.3% extreme poor in 2022-23 at $3 a day.
- Every method shows poverty falling; the level depends on where the line is drawn.
- Poverty lines differ by State because prices differ (Prelims 2019).
- Hunger today is mostly about access, income, sanitation and care, not lack of grain.
2 PYQs 2014–2023
Prelims box: facts and traps
- Prelims 2019: official poverty lines differ by State because price levels vary, answer (b).
- MPI: multidimensional poverty counts lack of health, education and living standards, not just income.
- Trap: the Rangarajan line was higher but was not adopted.
Measuring poverty
A poverty line works like a pass mark: who “fails” depends on where you set it.
| 2009 | Tendulkar | Consumption-based line; 21.9% poor in 2011-12 |
| 2014 | Rangarajan | Higher line; 29.5% poor in 2011-12; not adopted |
| 2023 | NITI Aayog MPI | Multidimensional headcount 14.96% (2019-21) |
| 2025 | World Bank | Extreme poverty at $3 a day: 5.3% in 2022-23, an estimate |
Mains 2015 asked whether all estimates show poverty falling, using urban and rural indicators. Every method, from the Tendulkar line to the MPI and the World Bank figures, shows a fall, but the level depends on where the line is drawn. Urban poverty is underrated when housing and transport costs are ignored; rural poverty depends heavily on farm income and wages.
Though there have been several different estimates of poverty in India, all indicate reduction in poverty levels over time. Do you agree? Critically examine with reference to urban and rural poverty indicators.
Prelims 2019 asked why official poverty lines are higher in some States in a given year: because price levels vary from State to State, answer (b). The same basket of goods costs more in some States.
In a given year in India, official poverty lines are higher in some States than in others because
- poverty rates vary from State to State
- price levels vary from State to State
- Gross State Product varies from State to State
- quality of public distribution varies from State to State
Show answer
Answer: (b) · UPSC official key
Mains 2025 asked about unequal ownership of resources as a cause of poverty, in the context of the ‘paradox of poverty’: India is rich in land, minerals and labour, yet many people stay poor because they own little land, capital (money to invest) or skill. Land reform, credit and education break this link.
Inequality in the ownership pattern of resources is one of the major causes of poverty. Discuss in the context of ‘paradox of poverty’.
What UPSC asks: Prelims: the Tendulkar figure of 21.9%; why lines differ by prices. Mains: the paradox of poverty.
Fighting poverty and hunger
Mains 2017 said poverty alleviation programmes remain showpieces without political will. MGNREGA (100 days of rural work), DAY-NRLM (self-help groups), PMAY (housing) and direct benefit transfers work best where States fund them on time, pay wages quickly and audit them openly. Mains 2017 also asked how far governments have progressed against hunger and poverty: the shift from a welfare approach to rights (food, work, education) is the key change.
‘Poverty alleviation programmes in India remain mere showpieces until and unless they are backed up by political will.’ Discuss with reference to the performance of the major poverty alleviation programmes in India.
Hunger and poverty are the biggest challenges for good governance in India still today. Evaluate how far successive governments have progressed in dealing with these humongous problems. Suggest measures for improvement.
Mains 2019 said poverty and hunger are drifting apart, as shrinking social spending forces the poor to spend more on non-food essentials, squeezing their food budget. Household surveys show the food share of spending falling while costs of health, schooling and transport rise. Free grain and public health and education services ease this squeeze. Mains 2018 asked whether blaming lack of food for hunger hides weak human development policies: India produces enough grain, so hunger is mostly about access, income, sanitation and care.
There is a growing divergence in the relationship between poverty and hunger in India. The shrinking of social expenditure by the government is forcing the poor to spend more on non-food essential items squeezing their food-budget. — Elucidate.
How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India?
What UPSC asks: political will; the food vs non-food squeeze. Next likely angle: access, not availability.
Mains box: analysis and answer points
- 2015: all estimates show a fall; urban vs rural indicators.
- 2025: paradox of poverty: unequal ownership of land, capital and skills.
- 2017, 2018, 2019: political will; rights-based shift; the food vs non-food squeeze; access, not availability.
Practice
Mains PYQs on this topic (2)
- UPSC Mains 2023 · GS Paper II · Q6The crucial aspect of development process has been the inadequate attention paid to Human Resource Development in India. Suggest measures that can address this inadequacy.How to approach: Intro: demographic dividend; HDI rank. Body: (1) Gaps: learning outcomes, health spending, skills, nutrition, women's work; (2) Measures: foundational literacy…
- UPSC Mains 2023 · GS Paper II · Q18Skill development programmes have succeeded in increasing human resources supply to various sectors. In the context of the statement analyse the linkages between education, skill and employment.How to approach: Intro: Skill India (2015), PMKVY, NSDC. Body: (1) Successes: crores trained, ITIs, apprenticeships (NAPS), sector skill councils; (2) Linkages: education builds…
Write an answer
In 150 words, explain the significance of Human Resources, Poverty & Hunger Issues with one recent example.
Flashcards (5)
Tendulkar poverty 2011-12?
21.9%.
Rangarajan poverty 2011-12?
29.5%.
Why State poverty lines differ?
Price levels differ.
World Bank extreme poverty 2022-23?
5.3% at $3 a day (estimate).
Hunger: availability or access?
Mostly access.
In the news
- 18 Oct 2026Kufri Jamunia: ICAR-CPRI’s purple potato to fight hidden hunger
- 17 Oct 2026FSSAI draft: no added sucrose or fructose in foods for infants up to six months
- 31 May 2026PM SVANidhi completes six years; 75.5 lakh street vendors helped
- 29 May 2026NFHS-6 released: stunting falls to 29.3%, institutional deliveries 90.6%
Next topic · 5.3 →Human Resources, Poverty & Hunger Issues: Food security and the PDS