The document discusses poverty in Kolkata, India. It describes how large-scale rural to urban migration, agricultural decline, natural disasters, and lack of policy planning have contributed to overcrowding and the growth of slums. An estimated 1.06 million people, or 21.9% of Kolkata's population, live below the poverty line. The urban poor face issues related to inadequate housing, income insecurity, poor sanitation and health, illiteracy, and lack of safety and welfare access. Microfinancing organizations are working to help pull people out of poverty by providing small loans to start businesses.

1. POVERTY IN
POVERTY IN
KOLKATA.
WHO ARE THE URBAN POOR?
AGRICULTURAL DECLINE
Definition of poor MARRIAGE
DIVISION OF LAND IN= Inability to
afford basic necessities.
LARGE SCALE IN-MIGRATION as
Price of basic necessities act
RURAL IMMIGRANTS the poverty
a benchmark for
line.
NEPAL, BHUTAN, BANGLADESH
Those whose REFUGEES
SHELTER FOR earnings fall
below the line, are
NATURAL, POLITICAL SOCIAL
identified as the Urban poor.
ESTIMATED NO. OF PEOPLE
LIVING IN POVERTY
1.06
MILLION PEOPLE
21.9%
TOTAL POPULATION
DISASTERS
SHIFT IN MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRY
INADEQUATE MANAGEMENT OF LABOR UNIONS
37, 760
HOMELESS & DESTITUTE

2. HISTORY OF POVERTY IN
KOLKATA.
.LARGE SCALE IN-MIGRATION.
.RURAL IMMIGRANTS.
.NEPAL, BHUTAN, BANGLADESH.
.AGRICULTURAL DECLINE.
.DIVISION OF LAND IN MARRIAGE, MORTGAGE
.FLOODING.
.RURAL FOLK SEEKING REFUGE.
.NATURAL, POLITICAL SOCIAL.
.DISASTERS.
.SHIFT IN MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRY.
.INADEQUATE MANAGEMENT OF LABOR UNIONS.
Kolkata used to be a Mecca of trade and commerce. Being the gateway to SEA and the only major city in the eastern part
of the country, it is an attractive and feasible destination for immigrants. Over time, uncontrolled in-migration robbed it
of its former title.

3. ISSUES
FACING
KOLKATA’S
URBAN POOR
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS,
OVERCROWDING,
INCOME, FOOD,
SANITATION, HEALTH
SAFETY, WELFARE
ILLITERACY
IDENTITY
ABSOLUTE MARGINALIZATION

4. .slums on the outskirts of town.
Those that arrive later build slums
on the outskirts of town and end up
expanding the boundaries of the
city.
.congregate near railway tracks
.to beg and steal.
slums.....
.inhabiting abandoned buildings.
When thousands of immigrants are
unable to afford housing or given a
designated space, they start to
organize themselves and create
their own spaces.
.build shanty towns on undeveloped land.
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS | KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR

5. OVERCROWDING = NATURAL GROWTH + IN-MIGRATION + LACK OF WELL-PLANNED POLICIES
+ LONG TERM INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
Overcrowding is a huge problem and the number of urban poor will increase considerably in the near future due to
natural growth and in-migration, combined with a lack of well-planned policies and long-term intervention
strategies.

6. INCOME | KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR

7. INCOME FOR THE HOMELESS = RAG PICKING + GARBAGE RECYCLING
"Most of the homeless are rag-pickers, who collect, store and sell recyclable garbage. The Calcutta Riverside Beautification
drive has made it difficult for them to survive as stocking garbage has been made a punishable offence,"

8. .queuing for food at calcutta rescue.
.sanitation issues.
.bathing in the streets is a common sight.
FOOD & SANITATION | KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR

9. 2.5 > VIRAL INFECTIONS...
2 > SKIN DISEASES...
1.4 > RESPIRATORY DISEASES...
10 > HEART & CIRCULATORY CONDITIONS...
1.9 > ALLERGIC DISEASES...
HEALTH ISSUES | KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR

10. MALNUTRITION:
ANEMIA, DIABETES, ASTHMA,
THYROID DISORDER
.POOR SANITATION:
MALARIA, DENGUE, HEPATITIS,
TYPHOID, RABIES, LEPROSY, AIDS
CHILDREN:
MENTAL COMPLEXES, PHYSICAL IMBALANCES,

11. .pictorial instructions on medicine packets.
ILLITERACY | KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR
.school for street slum children at calcutta rescue.

12. ..slums are a fire and safety hazard..
SAFETY & WELFARE | KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR
..street children smoking and taking drugs..

13. A majority of them have no hope of ever getting
out of the hole. "These people are caught in a
VICIOUS TRAP.
Since they are either homeless or reside in
unregistered slums, they don't have IDENTITY
PROOFS like voter's ID or ration card. As most of
them have never voted, they don't form a vote
bank to interest political parties.
The marginalization becomes absolute as they
cannot avail of poverty alleviation schemes,"
~ said Action Aid regional manager Chittaranjan
Mandal.
IDENTITY & ABSOLUTE MARGINALIZATION | KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR

14. ..JOBS CREATED IN..
KOLKATA CITY...
..
0.81%.
..PRIMARY SECTOR...
..AGRICULTURE, MINING, FORESTRY...
Part of the economy
that is not taxed,
monitored by the
govt or inc. in GNP
15.49%.
60%..
..SECONDARY SECTOR...
INFORMAL
SECTOR
..INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING...
83.69%.
..TERTIARY SECTOR...
..SERVICE INDUSTRIES...
.How does the Informal... .
sector help create jobs?

15. OUT OF POVERTY
MICROFINANCING
KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR
Mahabi
Tiwari
(54)
selling
vegetables at Dakkah Dari Slum
Market. After her husband died 4
years ago Bandhan Micro Finance
helped her set up a vegetable stall
under their CSP program. Bandhan
helps thousands of women pull
themselves out of poverty and take
charge of their own lives by
providing small loans.
OPPORTUNITY NOT CHARITY | EXTENDING MICROLOANS SO PPLE CAN BUY REVENUE PRODUCING
ASSETS

16. Slum dweller Shila Rajput works as a
cook in six different localities.
Owning a cell phone has enabled
him to be in constant contact with
his employers, in case they are not
at home they inform him in advance,
saving him time and money on
commuting.
OUT OF POVERTY
MICROFINANCING
KOLKATA’S URBAN POOR
OPPORTUNITY NOT CHARITY | FACILITATING COMMUNICATION | ENCOURAGING COMMERCE