Can a universal basic income break the cycle of poverty in India?

UNIVERSAL basic income refers to a program that distributes a certain amount of cash to citizens on a regular basis in the effort to alleviate poverty. For adult citizens who struggle to provide the most basic necessities for their families – such as food, water and medicine – welfare programs similar to universal basic income are a form of assistance which ensure that these families do not suffer from crippling conditions such as malnutrition and other diseases that are fatal. In societies around the world where such welfare programs have been implemented, there has been a positive impact upon these communities whose health, education, livelihoods and life expectancies have improved for better. 

 

In India, there are several welfare programs of one-time cash transfers, for example to pregnant and lactating mothers to improve maternal health. But there are no programs that include the regular transfer of cash to underprivileged citizens on a routine basis. For a permanent and lasting change to be made to not just eradicate impoverished conditions but sustain this change, consistent support is required to ensure that disadvantaged families have regular access to basic support that improves their living conditions and assists their livelihoods. This is already a recognized fact across India since welfare programs such as food rations and free education are provided on a regular and consistent basis. 

But India does have non cash based welfare programs 

While universal basic income cash transfers to all adult citizens or those below the poverty line is not an established program in India, there are several non-cash-based welfare programs offered by the Central Government and State Governments that include food rations. This is a program that provides household essentials such as rice, sugar, salt, cooking oil and other basics each month to citizens under a certain income level to ensure that families who require this support receive it on a regular basis. When these public distribution system programs began in the 1940s, it was to assist people suffering under famine conditions and has continued to this day and improved food security and nutrition. 

 

What are the conditions that necessitate universal basic income? 

The conditions that keep people in poverty are multifold and require a persistent effort against the social structures and generations of deprivation that have kept people in poverty for so long. This is the precise reason that consistent support is needed to help disadvantaged communities improve their futures in a sustainable manner that includes access to proper nutrition, education, employment and medical care. In giving people regular access to their basic rights, there is a foundation on which to build their lives and improve the circumstances of their future generations. This is especially crucial for disadvantaged groups such as the girl child or people from tribal or other marginalized communities who face discrimination. 

But what happens when the poor do not receive the support needed? People become victims of diseases such as malnutrition, anemia and other severe conditions that cause starvation, organ failure and eventual death. If there is no access to education, children are forced to start working or get married at an early age and the doors to future jobs are closed to them. Hence, when these children grow up, they are prevented from accessing safe and decent employment to be able to provide for their families in the future. In such a state of desperation, both adults and children also become victims of crimes such as child labour, domestic servitude and trafficking by criminals who exploit their vulnerabilities.

 

How Mission: Break The Cycle of Poverty is a solution

To prevent these conditions from crippling communities across India, Give’s Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty presents a solution that follows the model of a universal basic income. Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty provides a financial sum to families living in impoverished conditions to improve household income levels and provide assistance to help them back on their feet. Before Give launched this mission, thorough research was conducted into other similar initiatives and how these finances were utilized. Give found that when a sum of cash was provided to an underprivileged household, the money was used for housing, debt repayment, livestock, land and improving their livelihoods.

In the global scenario, around 80 countries run successful cash transfer programs to lift people out of poverty in a long lasting and permanent manner. Give spoke to a 54 year old farmer in Maharashtra named Ramabai Jadagad who was a recipient of Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty’s cash transfer program. She shared that with the financial help, she bought a water irrigation pipe and a  motor pump to help the family of farmers in their agricultural work. She shared that “even after I die, my children and grandchildren will have no difficulties.”  This is an example of how families are using the cash transfers to improve their lives in a way that will have a long term impact on future generations. Listen to her story of transformation here!

 

In another village in Maharashtra, an ASHA worker named Lata Lungse shares in this video here that she received financial assistance during the sowing season where there were shortages. But she used the cash to fund farming activities, and now, the farm labourers are not suffering without work since job opportunities have been created right in their village – because of the assistance she received from Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty! In another village, a labourer named Ashok rented 3.5 acres of land and started growing cotton. This has strengthened his resolve to work even harder in the coming days. Listen to his story here and witness the impact that your donations have made in the life of this hard working individual improving his life. 

 

Support Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty

There is a common misconception that handing people sums of cash might lead to the cash being used for purposes other than improving life for the household. But in the 80+ countries with a universal basic income initiative, households are using this cash to improve their livelihoods and that improvement leads to increased education levels and improved employment opportunities. When you support Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty, you give the most underprivileged and disadvantaged families a chance to lift themselves out of suffering and destitution and give their children and grandchildren better health, better opportunities and better futures. To support Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty:

 

Mission: Break the Cycle of Poverty

 

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