The experiences strengthen the demand for 'universalisation' of the concept of welfare in the Indian context. The Indian state has divided the poor society between APL and BPL (Above Poverty Line and Below Poverty Line) households in the rural areas. Unfortunately this division has further put the most marginalized communities into a black hole of negligence and chronic hunger. The entire BPL census survey depends on 13 indicators on the basis of which status of poverty is decided or rather calculated. It is a proven fact that one can not define the status of poverty just on the basis of 13 indicators decided by the Government of India and Planning Commission. There is also a wide range of social and vulnerability aspects, which defines the concept of acute poverty. The Below Poverty Line politics does not consider marginalization as a most important aspect of the definition. Persons with disability (Mentally or physically), who can not produce or earn their livelihood and thus fulfill the basic needs of life, are not considered as poor. Further, communities who have been forced to live a life less of self esteem and dignity (Manual scavengers and communities involved in caste based prostitution) due to the occupation they have are denied the right to benefit from welfare schemes because dignity of occupation is not considered as an indicator of poverty by the Planning Commission thereby never getting a berth in the BPL category.

Nathu, a mentally disabled tribal resides in Pati village in Badwani district. He stays in hut in the village which is so small that one would have to think twice and be careful while taking a turn to the other side. His wife who finds work as a labourer for subsistence often has to forgo work to take care of her mentally disabled husband. Struggling hard for survival, starvation has become part of daily life. The gram sabha, panchayat and the villagers, all agree that Nathu must get government support, which he is deprived off. With the Supreme Courts order that, families having any mentally or physically disabled member be given the benefit of Antyodaya scheme (scheme which provides food grains are available at cheaper rates). With hope of availing the benefit Nathu applied for the same but did not attach certificate approving his disability, leading to rejection of the application. Life is not less than a curse for around 70 thousand poor deprived mentally disabled people of Madhya Pradesh. For having their rights this vulnerable section has to depend on the certificate of the government doctor (Psychiatric specialist).

It is undoubtedly an issue of misfortune that like other districts of Madhya Pradesh the government hospital of Badwani too has no Psychiatrist leading to which the disabled are unable are deprived of their rights and from getting benefits of government schemes. As per the government records, out of a total 11.31 lakh disabled people in Madhya Pradesh, 8.9 lakhs (78%) live below poverty line, but only 3.8 lakh disabled are availing social security pension. Analysis clearly show that the main reasons behind this deprival and marginalization is due to failure in identifying people with disability, non possession of medical certificate by the disabled, high prevalence of corruption and insensitivity towards this section. It is clearly felt that the government does not consider disability as an indicator of poverty and the evidence of this is the recent BPL survey list, which has set various indicators to identify the families living below poverty line. To the surprise the list gives weightage to possession of 2-3 pair of clothes, fans, cycles etc, but disability is not addressed in any form. 

Efforts have been made towards equity and over all development of society, but still the communities facing hidden poverty have been totally ignored. The perception developed to distinguish problems faced by this community from the other existing problems has further aggravated their pain and deprivation. Even though being part of the society the Valmiki community and Hela caste even today are engaged in the inhumane work of manual scavenging. Even the law has not able to check this and put a stop to this practice due to lack of sensitivity. How to stop the upper-caste communities for treating these communities as untouchables and undignified? Shobha Bai of district Dewas in exchange of Rs.100/- works as scavenger in 50 household of her village. Her family includes 6 daughters and a disabled husband. She left this work for the sake of her dignity and thought of accepting any other occupation or work as laborer. But after leaving the work of scavenging she was denied for working as laborer and did not get food grains from the low priced shops. Thus she had to pay heavy price of starvation for protecting her dignity and self-respect. Her daughter was deprived from getting scholarship for her studies, because now she was no more a daughter of a manual scavenger. This raises a pertinent question – whether the state is sincere in eradicating this inhumane job or indirectly encouraging over 18 thousand scavengers like Shobha Bai to continue with this inhumane job? Fighting poverty or poverty elevation means working for the upliftment of the poor, establishing them and helping them to fight against forces, which exploit them. Thus poverty cannot be just measured on the basis of food availability and consumption. We will have to accept that discrimination and social discrepancy are the root causes of the increasing poverty.

On Economic and statistical grounds it is believed that around 7-10% of the families in our society are victims of natural or manmade calamity, disability and biased government policies. This vulnerable section is experiencing acute problem of food insecurity, increasing terrorism and communal violence has further added the number of families living below poverty line. In the last decade over 13 lakh families were dragged into the mouth of poverty because of these reasons. 

In our busy life we all come across families and children living beside the roadside in the poorest of poor conditions but seldom give a thought to it. In Madhya Pradesh 23 thousand families are residing in the pavement and roadsides being deprived from availing any benefit from the government schemes. Their fault is that they reside on the pavements and therefore have no address hence cannot be allotted ration cards. It is worth quoting that the ration card is not only for availing cheap food grains but is also an important evidence to prove identity of being a citizen. But these pavement dwellers are denied this identity. This section is one, which faces extreme natural calamities and is still neglected. Due to instability and no house to live they are not even able to cook for themselves. In such critical situation these helpless children purchase food, beg or search food from garbage for filling their belly. The problem is so grave that they cannot save anything from their earnings and this raises the question of why should they save now.

Politics of communal violence/ riots are now becoming one of the reasons of increasing poverty and starvation. These riots not only ruin basic resources for survival but also shatter houses and livelihood of the people. Riots of Gujarat, Bombay and violence in other parts of the country have proved that when people are living in peace these incidences divert their minds from basic issues and no compensation can ever actually repay the loss of these victimized families. Around 3.5 thousand families in Gujarat lost their family earners while many of them became disabled in the aftermath which shook the nation.  Similarly, efforts of rehabilitating were tried for the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy and widow like Samsun Nisha was given a house in new constructed colony, where only widows will live, but the family lost its happiness forever. She not only lost her husband but also became disabled, with no one to support the family her 8 years son was forced to work. Government has classified new category for discrimination in the society. At present the 18 thousand effected families are seriously struggling to get stable means of survival and have been forced to accept poverty and starvation. 

The problems faced by the leprosy and HIV patients are quite grave. On one hand when they are struggling hard with their health problems, the social boycott by the society makes their death even more painful. Although a person having these diseases can work and remain self-dependent, but social constrains and the negative approach drags the person far not only from the society but also from his only family members. In Rajasthan 20 thousand people who have been victims of HIV Aids have been abandoned by their family members and now they live in isolation. Definitely, this issue is such, which cannot be sorted out by implementing government schemes but it has to be dealt with sensitivity.

In advanced principals' approach, while preparing work plan for fighting out poverty first priority is given to able people and for some reasons the disabled are ignored, and this has become view of the society. In our daily monotonous life, we pass through crowd, but hardly bother to notice who this crowd is? The crowd may have elderly persons, garbage pickers, pavement dwellers, physically or mentally disabled and some time even prostitutes who are forced to bargain with their body for filling their belly, but still none of them are included in the definition of poor. The only measure found in this regard is establishments of rehabilitation centers or jails. Thus by forming these institutions they are separated from the so called “civilized society”, for precautions are taken that this section does not spoil/ harm the civilization, besides this by forming these institutions even the government fulfills its duties and does not remain answerable to anyone. There are several people around us who are facing serious problems of poverty, for this concretive measure must be taken up. This becomes still more necessary because the right to work norm does not cover them and they cannot relate themselves to the concept of work in exchange of food. In such situation for ensuring social security bold initiatives will have to be taken up. 

Sachin Kumar Jain