Rajasthan, situated in Northwestern India, is the seventh most populous state in the country, boasting a population of 69 million people. While The Multidimensional Poverty Index Report of 2023 highlights Rajasthan as having one of the steepest declines in poverty in India, 10 million people are still living below the poverty line. To combat poverty in Rajasthan, the government has meticulously targeted problem areas, focusing mainly on improving the health care sector and rural areas, where more than  75% of the poor population live.

While the percentage of poor in Rajasthan has successfully declined from 28.86% in 2015-2016 to 15.31% in 2019-2021, according to a 2023 report, it is important to note that discrimination towards those living in caste communities remains abundant, with many being denied poverty-alleviation measures. The work of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and independent programs such as BHOR are aiding both urban and rural communities to combat poverty, as well as focusing on previously neglected minority groups.

Free Medicine and Tests Scheme

India has one of the highest out-of-pocket health expenditure levels, with citizens spending around 65-70% of their income on health care. More than 90% of households do not have health insurance for one or more members, meaning access to basic health care is unobtainable for the majority of impoverished people.

In 2011, the Rajasthan government introduced the free medicine scheme to enable free access to commonly-used, essential medicines for patients using government healthcare institutions. Rajasthan has approximately 1,828 medicines accepted under the scheme, providing treatment for a variety of illnesses like cancer, kidney and heart problems. The scheme operates in both major cities and rural areas, improving accessibility and establishing better health care for the largely poor population which occupies these rural localities.

To ensure the smooth running of the scheme, the government created The Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL), ensuring the enforcement of quality control measures and the efficient distribution of medicines to all health facilities within the state. The number of free medicine beneficiaries recorded between 2011 and 2017 was approximately 524 million people, highlighting the extremely positive impact of the scheme on those previously unable to afford such treatment.

Tackling Rural Poverty

The majority of the poor population occupy rural areas of Rajasthan, and approximately 65% depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, are extremely vulnerable to crop losses due to the lack of resources and natural disasters. With many impoverished individuals relying on crop yield to sustain a living, the government has introduced initiatives to improve crop productivity and therefore income for farmers.

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a subsidized crop insurance scheme covering all farmers in the event of crop yield losses due to non-preventable risks such as drought, floods, natural disasters and pest and disease attacks. It charges a minimum premium from the farmers, while the state and central governments support the remaining share. Rajasthan boasts a higher national average in insured area per farmer, stressing its importance and effectiveness in protecting farmer livelihoods.

Poor yields and crop failure are often a product of monoculture farming which has long dominated parts of India, therefore diversifying the selection of crops has been pivotal in reducing the rapid spreading of disease and increasing overall yield and income for rural farmers, according to the Copenhagen Census Center. Providing a more diverse selection of crops has also expanded market opportunities, by offering a vast selection of products and reaching a wider range of buyers.

Self-Help Groups

Launched by The World Bank, The Rajasthan Rural Livelihoods Project (RRLP) aims to increase the income of poor people, through social empowerment, community investment support, skills development and employment promotion. The project also included the mobilization of people into Self Help Groups (SHGs). SHGs have been salient in helping improve the financial and socio-economic status of rural communities, specifically for women. Income generation and delivering micro-credit has helped women achieve financial independence, allowing them wider access to finance and encouraging asset creation.

Rural projects such as this have been principal in empowering minority groups, in this case poor women, but it must be noted that Caste discrimination in Rajasthan still runs rife. Dalit women, a group typically belonging to one of the lowest castes, make up around one-fifth of Rajasthan’s population, yet reports show no implementation of state-sponsored schemes for training or giving credit access to Dalit women.

BHOR

Established in 2019 by the Rajasthan Skill and Livelihoods Development Corporation (RSLDC), the BHOR program operates in the city of Jaipur to provide street beggars with vocational training and employment opportunities, with the long-term goal of making Jaipur a begging-free city. Its rehabilitative approach provides education and training in a variety of skills and jobs such as electricity, plumbing and cooking. While the focus of the program is on the training of individuals, it also provides recruits with accommodation and physical training through exercise like yoga. BHOR has seen huge successes, with 64 people subsequently finding employment with organizations such as Akshay Patra, Fortis Hospital and Hotel Shahpura Residency in 2022.

Final Word

As Rajasthan continues to navigate its way to becoming poverty-free, addressing outstanding issues of the discriminative caste system, which remains prevalent in Indian society, is imperative. The work of government initiatives, alongside the resilience of smaller SHGs and rural communities, has proven the possibility of a poverty-free state in the future, facilitating hope and future growth for other states.

– Sofia Bowes

Sofia is based on the Isle Of Skye, Scotland and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

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