Livelihood
For the 407 million Indians who survive on less than $1.25 a day which is 42 percent of the population— hunger, insecurity and ill health overshadow every aspect of their life. Most of these people are born into poverty and deprivation; others join their ranks because their meagre resources are depleted by debt, displacement by development projects, and the deepening failure of agriculture. The scale and intensity of poverty make it the single biggest challenge confronting India as a nation.
It is clear that reducing poverty depends on helping the poor get access to means of livelihood. Productive assets such as land-based resources, financial capital, tools and raw materials are essential for this, as is education, training and access to secure and remunerative jobs. Addressing poverty thus requires changing political and economic policies at the highest level so that giving opportunities to the poor becomes a priority. It also requires fighting against local oppression and corruption so that the poor are able to control resources that are rightfully theirs.
Securing sustainable livelihoods is the primary requirement for poverty eradication. According to NITI Aayog’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Progress Review, India has made significant strides in reducing multidimensional poverty, with the national headcount ratio declining to ~11.28% in recent years, lifting over 135 million people out of poverty. Nevertheless, addressing structural underemployment, agricultural income volatility, and informal labour vulnerability remains essential for long-term economic security.
Poverty reduction depends on expanding access to productive resources, including agricultural land, financial capital, vocational skills, and remunerative employment. Achieving sustainable poverty alleviation requires supportive policy frameworks alongside effective local governance that prevents corruption and ensures equitable resource distribution.
Economic modernization must ensure that growth benefits all segments of society, reducing widening income gaps between formal and informal sectors. SRUTI Fellows address economic insecurity across rural and urban locations through targeted interventions:
- Facilitating access to state-sponsored employment guarantees, primarily the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), to secure rural wage employment.
- Strengthening local land, water, and forest rights to stabilize agrarian and tribal economies.
- Building capacity within Gram Sabhas to monitor public work execution, social audits, and welfare delivery.
- Creating public platforms where marginalized communities can articulate their perspectives on economic planning and local development.
By combining legal empowerment with convergence across government livelihood programs, SRUTI helps build resilient community economies, contributing directly to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).