“Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing.” Explain by giving reasons. (Answer in 150 words)

Poverty persists because income deprivation is reinforced by unequal capabilities, insecure livelihoods and uneven access to public goods. Schemes reduce hardship but cannot alone transform structural conditions.

Reasons for persistence

• Low-productivity agriculture, informal employment, underemployment and stagnant real wages limit stable incomes.
• Asset and opportunity inequality—land, credit, skills, digital access and social networks—perpetuates intergenerational poverty.
• Regional, rural–urban, caste, tribal and gender disparities leave vulnerable groups behind.
• Weak implementation, exclusion errors, leakages and fragmented databases reduce scheme effectiveness.
• Health shocks, indebtedness, climate events and displacement push households back into poverty.

Way forward

Combine employment-intensive growth with quality education, healthcare, nutrition, social protection portability, women’s economic agency and accountable local delivery. Measure multidimensional outcomes, not merely consumption.

Keywords: UPSC GS1; inclusive development; constitutional values.

Sustainable eradication requires capability expansion and resilience alongside targeted transfers.