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Poverty Mapping in Rajasthan, P.C. Bansil, Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, 2006. Pp. xxi + 366. Rs. 750.00.
Poverty has been with us for long now and the number of poor has increased over the years though the proportions might have declined. Poverty also is largely concentrated in Asia and India's share in world's poor is high. There are inter-state variations in poverty in India. The present book under review is an attempt to map poverty in Rajasthan, a state once put in the company of BIMARU states. The book has eleven chapters. The introduction gives us an overview of poverty across states and reports that poverty in India has declined from 47.4 per cent in 1950-51 to 26 per cent in 1999-2000. It looks at land reform in connection with green revolution and rural poverty. It states that land reforms not only yielded some positive results but also removed the unproductive character of the agrarian economy. It has put in place some growth promoting forces. However, these arguments are contrary to what stuthes show that land reforms failed in India except in few pockets and there too poverty did not get removed or reduced. Green Revolution too failed to contain poverty. This chapter also hints at special area and group programmes. There is also the description of various national and international programmes and actions that were directed to eradicate poverty. However, a critical review is missing....