The politics of poverty: a tale of the living dead in Bolangir

This book describes how the Participatory Poverty Assessment (PPA) approach has been used at the local level in Bolangir, a district located in the State of Orissa, India, in which poverty manifests itself in many forms. PPAs are seen not as a panacea, but as a starting point to bring about understanding of the whole range of conditions affecting the lives of the poor. The aim of the study was to identify and recommend appropriate policy measures for the Western Orissa Rural Livelihood Project which is supported by DfID India. The scope and methodology of the study was evolved and administered in association with a large number of local stakeholders, with the hope that creating ownership amongst the various agencies would lead to prolonged and effective follow-up. Chapters focus on different issues which include gender dimensions, land and livestock, forest and common property resources, food security, droughts, migration, poverty in the eyes of the people and institutions and development initiatives. It ends with chapters on findings and recommendations for the project design process.