Trends and patterns of population, development and destitution in India

Pradeep Kumar Bhargava, Population Research Centre, Dharwad, India
Dayanand G Satihal, Indian Institute of Health Management (IIHMR)
G.M. Hiremath, Population Research Centre, Dharwad, India

Despite several programmes after independence to reduce poverty and improve quality of life, the magnitude of destitute population remains quite high and increasing in India across the states of the country year by year. To date, very few studies have attempted to through light on destitute population ( poorest of the poor such as Beggars and Vagrants, Inmates of panel and charitable institutions) in developing countries, particularly in India. The problem of destitution has been increasingly realized because of increase in the prevalence of HIV and deaths due to natural calamities such as, floods, earthquakes, etc. The paper attempts to study the trends and pattern of destitution in tune with changing population growth and socio-economic development in using the secondary data collected from various censuses and other sources during 1951 to 2001. It also assesses conditions of destitution, to map it against other dimensions of poverty and also discusses causes and consequences of destitutions.