Top 5 Poorest States of India

The Top 5 Poorest States of India

India is a country of diversity, culture, tradition and modernity. In India, the past, present and future exist together. On one side we have the modernity and progress of urban cities – concrete jungles; on the other, we have remote rural villages, far away from the lights of technology and prosperity. In the middle, we have small towns that are at the brink of development. If we are to truly progress and succeed as a nation, we must remove the gap in development between the past and present. We must bring the rural to parity with the urban. Evils of the past and present (poverty) must be eradicated. 

While poverty is a country-wide problem with one in four Indians being below the poverty line, in some states, it is more rampant. Goa has the lowest poverty rate, for example, and Chattisgarh has the highest. Let’s go through a list of the top 5 poorest states in India and talk about how and why they are where they are.

1. Chhattisgarh

Approximately 50% of the population of Chhattisgarh – one of India’s most resource-rich states with forests, minerals and surface water – is below the poverty line. Being below the poverty line in rural areas means one earns less than INR 27 a day. 

The state has several prominent industries such as steel, aluminium and power. In fact, Chhattisgarh accounts for over 15% of India’s total steel production. Around 80% of the state’s population resides in rural areas and relies on agriculture as a primary source of income. Around 41% of Chattisgarh is covered in forests. The poorest areas of the state are the ones near the forest areas. This is because they’re geographically isolated and are disconnected from the rest of the country. With limited access to resources (an irony) and poor connectivity, the people of Chhattisgarh struggle with having a reliable source of income.

The Plight of the Poor

2. Jharkhand

Carved out from Bihar in the year 2000, Jharkhand has also struggled with poverty with around 46% of the population living below the poverty line. Like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand is also a mineral-rich state. More than 75% of its workforce is engaged in agriculture yet the state’s agricultural production is low. 

For many generations, the poor have been settling in and around mining and basic industry centres in search of better livelihoods. Once removed from their traditional surroundings for a few years – displacement in the name of development – they cannot return, yet the new surroundings have been unable to deliver on the initial promises and expectations. Ironically enough, there is a close correlation between poverty in Jharkhand the state’s mining industry. A large majority of Jharkhand’s workforce is not adequately skilled to get a better job and are stuck to the gruntwork of unskilled labour with low wages and long working hours. 

Jharkhand is also home to the most number of extreme poor people living on less than two meals a day. Hence the we/can team is working with the women from such families to empower them to start their own micro businesses and equip them with the skills required to sustain and grow it so that the families can come out of poverty.

Photo by Bloomberg

3. Manipur

In terms of the valleys and hills, there is a stark difference in terms of development in Manipur. Hardly 8% of Manipur’s population has access to clean water and concrete homes. The hilly areas of the state limit access and communication facilities. Lack of private and foreign investment in the region also contributes to a lack of employment opportunities. Inadequate infrastructure and educational institutions further pose problems for people. The state also suffers from industrial backwardness. 

The majority of the population residing in the hills of Manipur is comprised of tribes. In hilly areas, over 50% of the population is poor while flatter areas fare much better. Governments have been inefficient and their policies have done little to correct the imbalance.

The Struggle to Survive

4. Arunachal Pradesh

Over 40% of the population in the state of Arunachal Pradesh is below the poverty line. Like Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh struggles with its terrain, lack of infrastructure and connectivity. Its population depends on agriculture as the primary source of income, using traditional farming techniques that have now become inefficient. Lack of access to proper resources is a glaring problem, one that must be taken care of. 

The tribes in the state struggle to keep up with modernising times and are thus faced with poor economic and financial prospects.

5. Bihar

Bihar is one of India’s most populous states (third most populous). Here, over 33% of the population is below the poverty line. Bihar is the fourth-largest producer of vegetables and the eighth-largest producer of fruits in India. Due to droughts, the southern parts of the state are marred with poor farmers struggling to keep up with the changing climate and modernising farming techniques and practices. 

Like the other states mentioned above, lack of adequate infrastructure, limited access and other facilities have led to the high poverty rate. Poor employment opportunities have done little to help the situation.

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While central and state governments take efforts to improve the situation of the poor in India, there is a long way to go. Governmental schemes and policies look great on paper but their execution is done rather poorly, rendering them inefficient in bringing about speedy change. We all need to collectively stand together and help the poor and those in need. Even a single person can do a lot. You can donate to poor families, donate to charitable organizations and play an active role in helping and supporting someone. The most human thing to do is to be human. We need to help and support one another and grow together. Be the reason someone wakes up in the morning with rays of hope shining upon them. Help someone go to bed with a full belly. Help someone get the education they need. Because, together we/can. 

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