1. International Indexed & Referred Journal, January,2013, ISSN 0974-2832, RNI- RAJBIL; VOL- IV * ISSUE- 48
Research Paper -Sociology
Poverty in Rural India
* Smt. Jadhav Sarita Bhika January ,2013
* K.S.K.W. Arts, Science & Commerce College, Uttamnagar, CIDCO, Nashik-(M.S.)
A B S T R A C T
Poverty is a main socio-economic problem in India. Poverty means unable to satisfy the primary needs minimum, due to
low income. Major part of Indian population is located in rural area & mostly dependent on agriculture. Its nature is
traditional & unprofitable, as well as not viewed as an industry. Agro-based sugar industry brought a constructive change
in rural India. Sugar industry is the second large industry in India. It played a significant role to eradicate the poverty in
rural India, but now-a-days sugar industry facing a problem of Industrial sickness.
Keywords: Poverty, Rural India, Poverty eradication, Sugar Industry, Problems of sugar industry.
Introduction: data. Most data is collected via words or pictures and
Sociology is the science that deals with social mostly from people. Researchers are interested in how
groups, their internal forms or modes of organization. people make sense of their lives and in the research
The process that tend to maintain or change these process itself.
forms of organization and relation between groups. Poverty in India: -
Economic aspect is an important factor of social life. India's most striking feature is its diversity.
But the Economic condition is different in everysociety. The country's population of about 1.2 billion people is
Because the human needs are closely related to natural composed of several ethnic groups, speaking more
surroundings.The natural surroundings or than 1,000 languages and following six major religions.
Geographical conditions are different. This calamites With an annual population growth rate of 1.4 %, India
shape human life. Every society emerges in particular is projected to become the most populous country in
environmental surroundings. A specific mode of the world by 2035. A total of 72% of India's population
production forms in every society. India has a lot of lives in rural areas, and 10% of rural household are
variety of Geographical factors as well as cultural reported to be landless. Agricultural wage earners,
difference among the people. From territorial viewIndian small holders farmers and casual workers in the
society is classified as Tribal. Rural & Urban society. non-farm sector constitute the bulk of poor rural people.
Major population is located in Rural India, Within these categories, women and tribal communities
because agriculture is a prime mode of subsistence in are the most deprived. About 300 million young people
India. Agriculture is a backbone of Indian Economy. ages 13 to 35 live in rural areas and most of them are
Panchayat raj, Green Revolution, Land Reform brought forced to migrate seasonally or permanently, without
a change in Rural life. But, the attempts of poverty the skills and competencies required by the modern
eradication are not sufficient. Rural sphere is badly economy that India is rapidly becoming. Poverty is
affected by poverty. It is a social & Economic issue. deepest among members of scheduled castes and tribes
Objectives: - in the country's rural areas. On the map of poverty in
1) To know the nature of poverty in India in brief. India, the poorest areas in parts of Rajasthan, Madhya
2) To take a brief account of changing India. Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa,
3) To know the role of sugar industry in rural India. Chhattisgarh & West Bengal.
A lot of Research is done on poverty through Changing India-in brief
Social & Economic view. Social research examines a Poverty & illiteracy are the most glaring and
society's attitudes, assumptions, and beliefs. Trends, depressing features of Indian villages. The pressure
nature of stratification, norms & habits. Research can on land is high resulting in fragmentation of holdings
be conducted using surveys, reports, observation, and poor productivity. The opportunities for education
questionnaires focus-groups, historical accounts are meager in the villages. Due to poverty the villagers
personal diaries & census report.Research on Poverty can't send their sons to city for education. Due to
is a qualitative as well as quantitative research. A quali- illiteracy, they cannot improve their agriculture or
tative research is inductive, means; the researcher supplement their income by other means. Poverty is
creates hypothesis and abstractions from collected thus the cause and effect of illiteracy and the
SHODH, SAMIKSHA AUR MULYANKAN 1

2. International Indexed & Referred Journal, January,2013, ISSN 0974-2832, RNI- RAJBIL; VOL- IV * ISSUE- 48
backwardness of villagers. The villages in India are at sugar plant in India at Aska in Orissa. But its produc-
present passing through a transitional period. From tion stopped in 1907. The protection policy of 1932
the sociological point of view, the old social relations, provided a great impetus for the development of sugar
The poverty of specific groups in India industry. Sugar industry has given the pride of place to
Sr. no. Group percentage India, as the country that is the largest producer of
1 Scheduled Castes 43% sugar in the world. Asia's first cane grower's coopera-
2 Scheduled Tribes 51% tive sugar factory viz., Pravaranagar Sahakari Sakhar
3 Labors in urban area 50% Karkhana Ltd., Pravaranagar, Dist. Ahmednagar was
4 Agricultural Labor in Rural area 47% registered in 1948 in Maharashtra by Dr. Vikhe Patil in
5 Average 26% the guidance of Prof. Vaikunthabhai Mehta and the
(Report on Employment & Unemployment groups in financial support of Maharashtra State Co-operative
India-no.-4.49.472) Bank. Maharashtra state is geographically located in
bonds and ties have disappeared. The community the world's most ideal belt for growing sugarcane.
consciousness is steadily decreasing. Politics of the The former government of Mumbai
country has made deep in roads in to the peaceful life constructed the Deccan irrigation canal in the early
of village people and has divided them into political 1920's as for famine relief works. This canal system was,
and sub caste groups. The joint family system is fast however, not being taken advantage of and water was
disintegrating and morality has gone down. The only going waste, lands were laying fallow or water logged
feature of the village community now left is agriculture. and silt affected. Canals had become a liability to the
The role of sugar industry in the eradication of poverty state exchequer. In this context the government
in rural India appointed a committee in 1932 known as the Kamat
Agro based sugar industry became a miracle committee to suggest ways and means of making
in the life of Indian farmers. This industry contributed irrigation works viable and profitable. The Kamat
a significant role in rural India. Sugar industry shaped Committee recommended the setting up of sugar in-
the Politics and Economy of India. This industry is dustries synchronized with Kamat Committee Report
second largest among the agro based industries in to give birth to the sugar industry in Maharashtra.
India. Land reform, Panchayat Raj, Green Revolution There is a rapid growth of sugar industry in Maharashtra
played an effective role in reconstruction of Indian In 1951 there were 13 sugar factories in Maharashtra.
villages. About 50 million sugarcane farmers‚ their In 2001 the figure was 143 & in 2o11- 193 sugar factories
dependents & a large mass of agricultural laborers are were in operation. But now days the sugar industry is
involved in sugarcane cultivation‚ harvesting & facing a lot of problems. There is an industrial sickness
ancillary activities consulting 7.5 of the rural population. in sugar industry.
Besides them‚ about 0.5 million skilled & semi-skilled The causes of Industrial sickness:
workers‚ mostly from the rural areas are engaged in the 1. Inadequate supply of sugarcane 2. Low recovery
sugar industry. The sugar industry in India has been rate 3.Pricing problem of sugarcane 4. Overstaffing
a focal point for socio-economic development in the 5. Old machineries 6. Mismanagement 7. Problem of
rural areas as it mobilizes rural resources generating export 8. Sugar scams 9. Natural calamities
employment & high income‚ transport & communica- Findings
tion facilities. Sugarcane has been grown in India from 1) Poverty is a wide spread problem in rural India.
time immemorial and it is from India that sugarcane was 2) Sugar industry played a significant role in the re-
taken to other countries for producing sugar. However‚ construction of rural India. 3) Now-a-days sugar
till the 20th century‚ there was no sugar industry in industry is facing problem of industrial sickness.
India. The first sugar factory in India was started in In short‚ the problem of poverty is getting bitter in rural
1784 by a civilian, crofter shook, which was privately India. Sugar industry is the backbone of Indian economy
owned. L.T. Patterson started the second factory in but now-a-days it became a sick industry. It is very
1791 in Bihar. In 1824, the French established the first necessary to do collective attempts by Govt.‚ the lead-
ers and the youth of our country.
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4. Dr. Pagar S. K. Bhartatil Daridryache Mojmapan Arthsanvad, July-Sept 2012
5. Dr.Pagar S. K. Impact of Sugar Co-operative Industry on Rural Development Chandralok Prakashan, Kanpur
6. Sakhar Diary, 2011
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