Over the years, Goldman Sachs has declared that the emerging nations like Brazil, Russia, India and China. (BRIC) will be the economic powerhouses in future. Citigroup too has declared the increasing influence of China and India in the rest of the world with their increasing prosperity.

However, this economic prosperity has not actually trickled down the millions of Indians who live below the poverty line. According to the Institute of Development Studies, at least 2000 to 3000 children starve to death everyday. At least 25 % Indians still don’t get to eat one square meal a day. 880 million Indians earn less than $ 2 per day. Others earn on an average $ 5 per day. These figures are actually worse than the sub Saharan Africa.

The middle class is mainly the contributor to the boom in the Indian economy with their increased purchasing power. The majority of Indians living in the rural areas in poverty are neglected. Politics, caste system, religion, superstition, traditional prejudices are some of the root causes of poverty in India. For example, a woman from a lower caste would not be allowed to attend government initiatives to educate the villagers about malnutrition. India’s progress to reduce malnutrition is still very slow in comparison to China.

If majority of the children are still starving to death and are growing hungry, what good is an economy that grows consistently? How is it going to sustain the growth if its future generations are growing up malnourished and uneducated?

Via: Dailyfinance