What is needed to wipe out poverty?

There is hardly a state that will boast of being free from poverty until there’s peace. One can say governance and people’s problems, particularly poverty, are interlinked. A kind administration yields bread and butter for the have-nots.

Democratic principles have to be in use in all circumstances to reap benefits for all lawful citizens. One of them is to serve masses by keeping eye on the evil and that is the key to success, elders say. The administrator should bear in mind that religious tolerance is essential.

There are two kinds of people: one, those who have the same religion, and those who have religions other than rulers’, but all are human beings. Men of either category suffer from the same weaknesses that humans are inclined to; they commit sins, indulge in vices intentionally or foolishly, and unintentionally, without realizing the enormity of their deeds.

Let mercy and compassion come to their rescue and help in the same way and to the same extent as anyone expects from God mercy and forgiveness.

The rich always want more: they are the people who will be the worst drag upon any administrator during his moments of peace and happiness, and the least useful to him in hour of need and adversity. They hate justice the most -- they keep demanding more and more out of the state resources and are seldom satisfied with what they receive and will never be obliged for the favour shown to them if their demands are justifiably refused. Olds say prosperity of the whole set-up depends upon traders and industrialists, who act as a medium between the consumers and suppliers. They exert to provide goods.

Then there come the poor and disabled persons who have to be looked after, helped and provided at least the minimum necessities for well-being and contented living. One has to realize that poverty leads to ruination. If a city is prosperous and if its people are well-to-do, then it will happily and willingly bear any burden.

Poverty is the actual cause of devastation: the main cause of the people’s poverty being the desire of administrator and officers to amass wealth, whether by fair or foul means. Corruption undermines the nation’s well-being.

Businessmen and industrialists need fair treatment, they’re sources of wealth to the state, but an eye has to be kept over their activities. They may hoard goods to get more profit out of them by creating scarcity and by indulging in black-marketing as they do in sacred month of Ramazan.

Staying in contact with masses is must: never should there be any curtain of false prestige between the ruler and the common people. Such pretension and shows of pomp and pride are manifestations of inferiority complex and vanity.

As a result administration remains unaware of the real condition of citizens.

— zasarwar@hotmail.com