In September, 2000, the United Nations Millennium Summit brought out a historic resolution signed by 189 world leaders to reduce hunger and poverty from the world by 2015. This resolution was based on specific goals called Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Foremost among eight was ‘‘eradicate extreme poverty and hunger” India is also represented in this forum.
One third of the world’s poor live in India. According to the international poverty indicator of US$1/day ,the total number is 350 million , although the official statistics (19999-20000 place the number at 260 million or 26% of the total population. Around 22 % population in India live Below Poverty .The extreme poverty and hunger in India castling in villages where Bharat lives. (72% of total population lives in 5,50,000 lakh odd villages) .Orissa among all Indian states tops the incidence of poverty. Orissa emerges in the forefront of all states signifying all indices. Poverty is a condition created by unjust society ,denying people access to and control over the resources that they need to live a fulfilled life. Orissa also lives in villages. Almost 85% percent of people live in rural area of the state . Around 42 % people in Orissa and 47% people of rural Orissa live below poverty . Although it is the state of mineral resources and it spreads over 6000 sq km area . Iron ore occupies 33% of India ‘s reserve ,Bauxite is 50% ,Nickel is 95% chromite is 98% and coal is 24 % . Still it is difficult and stupendous task to eradicate poverty in Orissa.
We have succeeded in eradicating poverty by 2.92 % between 1993-94 and 2004-05.But in absolute number the people below Poverty has increased from 140.9 lakes in 1993-94 to 151.75 lakes in 2004-05 in Orison against all India figure of decreased from 2440.31 to 2209.24 lakes. This failure is achieved in time span of eleven years. So the annual average rate of reduction is only 0.265%. With this speed of progress it would be very ambitious projection made by NIRD , that Orissa would have only 4.63 % of people below poverty line by 2011-12. This critical analysis has given focus and try to justify that Eradication of Poverty in Orissa is uphealing task.
