LAHORE: Growing poverty in South Asia has exposed the myth of growth in several countries of the region. This was stated by the speakers at the launch of an inequality report at a hotel here Friday.
According to them, most countries have failed to make use of the economic growth in the region to improve the lives of the poor and marginalised people of the community. South Asia’s share of the poor in the globe increased from 27.3 percent to 33.4 percent from 1990 to 2013 and the trend of growing inequalities is on the increase.
The report has been released by South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) in association with Labour Education Foundation. Prominent economists and researchers of the eight countries of South Asia were engaged in preparation of this inequality report sponsored by Oxfam International. Main speaker on the occasion was Dr Netra Prasad Timsina, Nepal-based regional coordinator of SAAPE. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Netra said that South Asian countries were competing with each other to provide the facility of tax exemptions to the rich and the powerful. He said that in South Asia, 134 million people still do not have access to improved drinking water. It is estimated that from 68 to 84 percent of sources of water are contaminated in the region. Dr Netra said that the appalling situation defecation can be seen in the region where over 600 million peoples in South Asia practice this in open.
