Page 12 - MEX-Yearbook-2017

Experts View

Poverty to Prosperity:

Commodity Investments is an established
Alternative!

Chittaranjan Pandey
(The author is Assistant Professor & Coordinator of the Center for Research
& Development at King’s College, Nepal. He has keen interest in the areas of
Macroeconomics & Development Economics. He works both as a class facilitator
for Economics/Research & a consultant for development projects of national &
international donors. He can be contacted at chittaranjan.pandey@gmail.com.)

Background prolongs the transition in human lives to face the mutual participation of the government,
Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. the poverty status.) local agencies, NGOs, private sector and civil
Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a ii. Income (Income comes from the employment society, to extend economic opportunities and
doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and – and this is a hard and fast traditional approach open new environment that enlarge employment
not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a to income generation which, even though has opportunities. Poverty reduction requires concerted
job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. been challenged by the modern-day conviction efforts in an integrated and comprehensive manner
of entrepreneurship, is a referral ponder.) on all fronts. The PRSP/10th Plan which is being
-World Bank iii. Facility of education (Education, elsewhere prepared by the National Planning Commission
Poverty is a phenomenon which affects not only in the world guides the human lives with the (NPC) provides a general framework for poverty
the ability to purchase goods, but also vulnerability amount of money they are going to make and reduction strategy within which all the stakeholders
towards various pressures that may prohibit an that they are going to invest. Nepal, not very will act (UNDP, 2002).
individual from enjoying his life. In the context ironically, is an exception with the type and As per the data provided by World Bank, in 1984
of Nepal, the causes for the poverty are rapid model of economy.) (Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day), the
population growth, the uneven distribution between iv. Proper facility of shelter (Shelter has been poverty ratio was 74.77% which was very high and
the individuals. The main reasons of poverty the basic need for the human lives since the was later decreased to 61.73% in 1995. Between
are unemployment, lack of modern education human civilization and its lack takes all focus 1984 and 1995, the poverty level decreased in
which individuals can apply further. Basically, to requisition of shelter primarily) the ratio of 13.04%. Likewise, the poverty level
the productivity and incomes from occupations v. Availability of health care service (Health is decreased by 14.65% in 2003 and reached 47.08%.
and the livelihoods are important factors for Wealth and challenge to health and its services The poverty rate in 2010 was 25.2%. Between
reducing poverty. The social conditions such as undoubtedly will make the livelihood activities the year 2003 and 2010 there was the decrement
health, nutrition, education and housing influence suffer) of 21.88% in the poverty ratio. And then in 2014
productivity are the factors affecting poverty status vi. Availability of food (Food is another primary the poverty ratio was again reduced to 14.95%.
of any individual. But according to the Social requirement for the human development) The data shows that the poverty ratio has been
Darwinian Theory of Poverty, the cause of poverty Discussions in a decreasing state which is again best part for
is found in terms of the behavior and attitudes of As per the Tenth Plan (2002-2007) the government any country. And if the government makes the
the poor themselves (Islam, 2005). had step on towards the poverty alleviation by other major strategies then the poverty ratio can be
Normally, the determinants of poverty are: mobilizing the means and resources, through decreased furthermore.
i. Employment status (Many times people keep

waiting for the best-fit employment and that

11 | MEX NEPAL YEAR BOOK 2017