The Nature of Poverty in Tharu Community(A Case Study of Madhawaliya VDC of Rupandehi District, Nepal)

Abstract

Poverty is widespread in Nepal and intense in rural areas. It is persisted for decades and recognized as deep-seated and complexphenomenon. Due to the complexity of the problem, raising the livingstandard of the people in sustainable manner by reducing the existingpoverty has always been the biggest challenge ever of the planned effortsof development. This is an attempt to study the nature of poverty in Tharucommunity. This study was conducted at Madhawaliya VDC, Rupandehidistrict. The study was conducted with the objectives to examine thepresent socio-economic situation of Tharu community In addition, overall adult literacy rate has increased over the past 13years, from 1990 to 2003. How ever income inequality and rural-urbangap is still rampant. Similarly, gender disparity is wide in Nepal. In termsof empowerment Tharus are still largely without voice and influence inthe public domain. Further the low caste Tharu people and people ofdifferent ethnic groups have very low level of living standard ascompared to others. Majority of Tharu and ethnic people live below thesubsistence level 90 percent Tharu people are dependent on theagricultural sector. The local level case study of Madhawaliya VDC, RupandehiDistrict reveals that the extent of poverty in Rural Nepal is very high. Thedistribution of land is not fair and the production does notlast more thansix months for majority of the people. The case study of MadhawaliyaVDC also reveals that there is high illiteracy and high unemploymentsituation among the people. The percent achievements on socio-economic indictors may not besustained if service delivery remained disrupted due to conflict withoutreestablishment of place and stability in the country and initiation extraeffective efforts on socio-economic development, achieving MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MDGs) will merely be a mirage.