Administration of Anti-Poverty Programmes

The set of four papers on poverty (July 28) is a welcome guide to understand the complex task of poverty estimation, whatever line one takes. The dense analysis may not be comprehensible to all, save learned scholars. But to many of us the experience of the last decade only suggests that economic growth can go hand in hand with an increase in poverty.

The vast literature only indicates that it is difficult to precisely define poverty, to ascertain its causes and to assess it in ethical, social, economic and political terms. It needs to be kept in view that anti-poverty strategies invariably have strong administrative implications, often understated, and even unstated, since ultimately the strategies always involve the redistribution of resources, and the reorganisation of institutions for devolution of power. Poverty-oriented development policies should even< provide for an unavoidable strategy of limited conflict, yet avoiding the risk of revolt deteriorating into chaos that seldom improves the lot of the poorest of poor.