India is home to millions of poor people who have limited means in life. Some even struggle to get the basics in life: food, water, clothing and shelter. Despite considerable progress made in the socio-economic sphere since independence, even today, more than 23.4% of India’s population lives below the poverty line, as per the World Bank figures. This means that a staggering 276 million people in India survive on $1.25 per day on purchasing power parity. In such a scenario, interventions by charities and NGO become extremely important along with the initiatives and schemes rolled out by the government.
The key to tackle poverty does not lie in doling out benefits to the needy. The focus here should be on equipping them with all the necessary tools (quality education, healthcare, safety and security, professional skills, etc.) so that they can attain personal economic growth and in turn contribute to their own, society’s and country’s growth.