Poverty a political industry

We have also allowed this country to be thrust demographically into perpetual poverty

While TCA Srinivasa-Raghavan makes good suggestions in his column, “Modi’s poverty problem” (September 9), the ramifications are far-reaching. 

Poverty is a political industry. Forty six years ago a prime minister said “garibi hatao (eliminate poverty)”; even today, her grandson proclaims that his party is for the poor. In India, most poor people vote for their livelihood; about 6,000 people require these votes for their livelihood. The richest pay nothing to run the country; agricultural farmers and corporate farmers are there to do this job. All poverty-alleviating schemes are perpetual.

One tough way to reduce poverty is by reducing the number of poor