Chronic Poverty and Hunger in KBK Region of Orissa: Identifying Causes in the Perspective of a Case Study in Watershed Development Project in Nabarangpur District
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Graduate School of Development Studies Chronic Poverty and Hunger in KBK Region of Orissa: Identifying Causes in the Perspective of a Case Study in Watershed Development Project in Nabarangpur District A Research Paper presented by: Nabakishore Parida India in partial fulfillment of the requirements for obtaining the degree of MASTERS OF ARTS IN DEVELOPMENT STUDIES Specialisation: Rural Livelihood and Global Change (RLGC) Members of the examining committee: Dr Ashwani Saith (supervisor) Dr Anirban Dasgupta (reader) The Hague, The Netherlands November, 2008 Disclaimer: This document represents part of the author’s study programme while at the Institute of Social Studies. The views stated therein are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Institute. Research papers are not made available for circulation outside of the Institute. Inquiries: Postal address: Institute of Social Studies P.O. Box 29776 2502 LT The Hague The Netherlands Location: Kortenaerkade 12 2518 AX The Hague The Netherlands Telephone: +31 70 426 0460 Fax: +31 70 426 0799 Table of Contents Abstract..........................................................................................................................7 Chapter 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................8 1.1 General Background .......................................................................................8 Profile of KBK districts .........................................................................................9 1.2 Demographic Feature:...................................................................................10 1.3 Poverty in KBK districts ...............................................................................10 1.3.1 Levels of poverty - KBK versus Orissa, India and other states..........11 1.3.2 Regional disparities of Poverty in Orissa....................................................12 1.4 Social exclusion and poverty by social groups................................................12 1.5 Gender discrimination in KBK region...........................................................14 1.6 Developmental Stagnation of KBK Region:..................................................14 1.7 Research objectives and Research question:....................................................14 1.8 Relevance of Study:.......................................................................................15 Analytical Frame work ........................................................................................16 Research Methods................................................................................................16 Limitation of Research:........................................................................................17 1.9 Chapter design ..............................................................................................17 Chapter 2 Conceptual Frameworks and methodology................................................18 2.1 Inome poverty:..............................................................................................18 2.2 Multidimensional poverty:.............................................................................18 2.3 Social exclusion.............................................................................................19 2.4 Chronic Poverty............................................................................................21 2.5 Regional concentration of Poverty ................................................................22 2.6 Policy approach.............................................................................................22 2.7 Water shed Development Project..................................................................22 2.8 Researches Methodology...............................................................................23 This qualitative field research method is comprised:......................................................23 Chapter 3......................................................................................................................26 Spatial disadvantage.............................................................................................26 3. 1. Remoteness...................................................................................................26 3 .2 Rural Agricultural Economy:.........................................................................27 Agrarian structure: ...............................................................................................28 Critical analysis to Agriculture in KBK region: ..................................................33 3.4 Forest based Economy:.................................................................................35 3.5 Rural Finance: ...............................................................................................37 3.6 Lack of work opportunities and distress migration: .......................................37 3.7. Failure of Government policy:............................................................................38 Mining economy:.................................................................................................39 Chapter 4......................................................................................................................42 4.1 Watershed Development Project...................................................................42 4.1.1 Implementing agency:.................................................................................43 4.1.2 Management and salient features:...............................................................44 4.2 Voice of people about the Watershed development project: Planning........45 4.2.1 Top down planning .....................................................................................45 4.2.2 Manipulation in participatory planning ......................................................45 4.3 Implementation problems:.................................................................................47 4.3. 1 Dummy contractors and low wage payment..............................................47 4.3.2 High level of illiteracy and low education of beneficiaries leads to exploitation. .........................................................................................................47 4.3.3 Fake beneficiary selection..........................................................................48 4.3.4 No proper supervision, high level corruption and close nexus between WSP secretary and president with govt. officials. ........................................................49 4.3.5 Deprives poor from availing government benefits: .................................49 4.3.6 Social bottlenecks: ......................................................................................50 4.4 Productivity of the project: ..................................................................................51 4.5 Opinion of different stakeholders about chronic poverty of KBK.......................53 4.5.1 Mode of selection of BPL people and beneficiary of development schemes................................................................................................................53 4.5.2 Benefits go to Contractor/middlemen, government officials in development works and low wage payment..............................................................................54 4.5.3 Absenteeism of Government officials, high level of corruption and poor accountability of the programs.............................................................................55 4.5.4 Low productivity of poverty alleviation schemes:......................................56 4.5.5 Social problems...........................................................................................56 Politics of poverty and hunger in KBK region: ...................................................56 Conclusion................................................................................................................58 Chapter 5......................................................................................................................59 5.1 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................59 5.2 Policy implication: ...............................................................................................60 References:...................................................................................................................62 Annexure 1: Demographic features of KBK region, Orissa and India ........................68 Annexure-3 Poverty by Social Groups in Orissa .........................................................71 Annexure 4 Extent, depth and severity of Poverty in KBK region : ..........................73 List of Tables and Figures Table 1: Incidence of Poverty in KBK region Vis-a Vis Orissa, other States and India, 1977-78 2004-05.......................................................................................................................... 10 Table 2: Indirect estimates of incidence and relative extent of chronic poverty in Orissa, 1993-94 ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Table 3: Regional poverty Incidence in Orissa (1983 to 1999-2000) .................................. 12 Table 4: Poverty by social groups within regions in Rural Orissa ......................................