Poverty Debate in India A Minority View

N S Jodha Rural socio-economic change is often inadequately captured by social science research in the field. This happens partly due to perceptions of the researchers and partly due to inadequacies of research tools and approaches. This paper illustrates the situation by presenting evidence on incidence of rural poverty in two villages of Rajasthan as examined through different approaches, during 1963-66 and 1982-84, Households that have become poorer by conventional measurement of income in fact appear better off when seen through different qualitative indicators of their economic well-being. The paper suggests the need for supplementing conventional measurements of income by qualitative indicators of change to arrive at a realistic understanding of rural socio-economic change.