poverty, the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or

material possessions. Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their
basic needs. In this context, the identification of poor people first requires a
determination of what constitutes basic needs. These may be defined as narrowly as
“those necessary for survival” or as broadly as “those reflecting the prevailing standard
of living in the community.” The first criterion would cover only those people near the
borderline of starvation or death from exposure; the second would extend to people
whose nutrition, housing, and clothing, though adequate to preserve life, do not
measure up to those of the population as a whole. The problem of definition is
further compounded by the noneconomic connotations that the word poverty has
acquired. Poverty has been associated, for example, with poor health, low levels
of education or skills, an inability or an unwillingness to work, high rates of disruptive
or disorderly behaviour, and improvidence. While these attributes have often been
found to exist with poverty, their inclusion in a definition of poverty would tend to
obscure the relation between them and the inability to provide for one’s basic needs.
Whatever definition one uses, authorities and laypersons alike commonly assume that
the effects of poverty are harmful to both individuals and society.

Although poverty is a phenomenon as old as human history, its significance has changed
over time. Under traditional (i.e., nonindustrialized) modes of economic
production, widespread poverty had been accepted as inevitable. The total output of
goods and services, even if equally distributed, would still have been insufficient to give
the entire population a comfortable standard of living by prevailing standards. With the
economic productivity that resulted from industrialization, however, this ceased to be
the case—especially in the world’s most industrialized countries, where national outputs
were sufficient to raise the entire population to a comfortable level if the necessary
redistribution could be arranged without adversely affecting output.

Causes of Poverty

a. Rapid Population Growth

In Nepal, the growth rate of population is very high 1.2% per annum as compared to the economic growth
rate is 2.5%, according to world Economic Outlook – 2019. Due to extreme high population, the living
standard of people is degraded.

b. Gender inequality

The unequal distribution of income and wealth is another cause of poverty in Nepal. The gap between rich
and poor is very high and the distribution of national income is not in favors of poor people. So, poor get
poorer and poorer and rich get richer and richer.

c. Illiteracy
Illiteracy is also one of the causes of poverty. Illiterate people are unaware about family planning
measures and birth spacing and are not familiar with the problem created by large population. So, the
more population, the more requirement of job causes unemployment and ultimately arises poverty.

d. Lack of employment

Nepal, a country with poor, weak and fragile economy has very limited industries (large). The population
is growth rate is high but industries are limited. So, rate of unemployment is growing rapidly leading to
poverty.

e. Low saving

About 70 or more percent of total salary or income is spent in food which is very high and rest 30% is
spent in other sectors such as education, health etc. The percent shared by saving is null or very less.

f. Old technology

Farmers of Nepal are traditional and are poor. They use old technology for farming and their production
include max food crop (49.1%). Similarly, the production is low, which causes poverty even though they
labor hard enough

Remedial Measures of poverty reduction

a. Population Control

Population is the total number of people living in a certain place for specific period of time. The more
population, the more requirements of different aspects. To fulfill the need of huge population is not a
simple task. But if the population is small then, fulfillment can be done. All can get job and other
requirement. Finally, the number of poor decreases.

b. Industrialization

Industries are the main source of income and employment. Many people can be employment
opportunities if the industries are established. Thus, the number of poor decreases with the increase in the
number of industries.

c. Education

Educated people are aware about family planning measures, (birth spacing) and helps to reduce
population growth. So, poor people should be provided education free of cost, and they should be aware
about family planning measures.

d. Use of modern technology

People in Nepal use traditional method of farming. So, the productivity is low which includes about 49%
of food crops. In order to increase productivity and standard of farmer, modern technology should be
used.
e. Reduce in-equality

Vast inequality between rich and poor should be banished “Education for all”, should be implemented and
maintained properly. Poor should also have equal right to go to school so that all can know about negative
impact of large population.