FORUM (Spotlight Weekly)

Poverty Alleviation In Nepal : Approaches And Strategies

By DR. Narayan Khadka

Whether we plan or not and whether we are committed or not, poverty will remain a challenge that will decide Nepal's future of hope or despair. We must finish poverty or poverty will finish us. We confront many challenges in attaining the development goal of reducing poverty. Corruption, weak governance, deteriorating law and order situation pose formidable challenges to poverty alleviation.

The restoration of democracy has definitely granted people basic freedom and human rights. It has made them aware of their rights and responsibilities. However, democracy has also raised the expectations of the general public and given the poor a chance to politicize both the magnitudes of poverty as well as its consequences. If on the one hand we are running behind time in addressing poverty issues, poor people remote poverty-stricken areas of Nepal has not only raised their expectations but also has changed their attitudes towards their own lives and towards those who are relatively better off. With the spread of television in the villages, people now can see for themselves what it means to be poor and how much relative deprivation they face. In the course of twelve years the poorer section of the society saw for themselves the dramatic change in the living standards of people elected to power which only aggravated their anger and discontent. This is one of the major reasons for the Maoist insurgency in the country.

Externally, as the world becomes more open, integrated and competitive, we might simply be overwhelmed by bigger and more efficient foreign economies, Globalization and market reforms have been on the forefronts of development strategy for any poor country. However, the bright side of globalization everybody sees but the dark side especially looked from the poorer communities has hardly been seen. The adverse impact of globalization on the poor can be well anticipated. Globalization compels countries to be interdependent in a much more intensified way than during the pre-globalization years. Powerful countries can easily shake the political, economic as well cultural foundations of a weaker country simply through instruments such as trade and finance. If a country does not create capabilities to face any such challenges invisible global forces can easily shake even the democratic pillars.

The factors that can create an adverse impact on the poor are the digital divide. The main factors are poor telecommunication facilities, widespread illiteracy and lack of a minimum level of education to use computers and internet facilities, affordability (buying computers, the software and the subscription), the monthly costs. But the government should not be deterred by all these challenges. Globalization and the information revolution also provide tremendous opportunities that if tapped and exploited wisely can be a crusader in the revolutionary movement against poverty, hunger and ignorance. The world's financial capital is glutted with capital. Nepal must pursue a policy to tap it profitably for implementing the proposed frontal attack on poverty. The donor communities must be approached to provide both financial and technical assistance for information economy. Countries like India and China must also be requested to help Nepal in building a computer networks throughout the country.

Poverty alleviation is an urgent national agenda for Nepal and it is one that merits national consensus. Let us put aside our political differences and embark on a revolutionary vision to contend with poverty and hunger in the coming decades. The government must take all the political parties into confidence and mobilize all the required resources to help Nepal to realize its full potential. We have come a long way in this past decade, we have won democracy and absorbed the responsibilities which come as part of that freedom. We must now sharpen our skills and fully shoulder that new won responsibility; we must prove that we are worthy of the power that the people have vested in us and show that it can be used to benefit ALL of our citizens. We must work united and in earnest to give our people not just a decent basic existence but to given them the chance to better themselves and to become prosperous. This is the challenge that faces our government—if we succeed we all benefit but if we fail we may not be given a second chance. We all know that right now there are forces at work that will take our democracy and our freedom away and replace it with their own model. A model, which has been shown time and again not to prove viable, but one that has infinite appeal for people with nothing to lose. It must not come to this end and through out hard work and persistence the problems of poverty and hunger must be eradicated.