Illustrate the difference between rural and urban poverty. Is it correct to say that poverty has shifted from rural to urban areas? Use the trends in poverty ratio to support your answer.

The basic difference between rural poverty and urban poverty is the nature of poverty.

1) Urban poor are those rural poor who have shifted from rural area to urban area for better employment opportunities and in search of better standard of living.

2) Rural poor include landless and the marginal farmers.

3) There is a wide economic gap between urban poor and rural poor.

4) The living condition of urban poor is better than that of the rural poor.

5) The rural poverty is temporary in nature and is not distressful whereas urban poverty is permanent and distressful.

It is very true that the poverty has shifted from rural to urban areas and is clearly visible from the data available from Planning Commission.

In the year 1973-74 the rural poverty was 56.4% which declined to 28.3 % in the year 2004-05 whereas the urban poverty was 49% in the year 1973-74 which declined to 25.7% in 2004-05.

In the year 1973-74 the gap between rural and urban poverty was quite wide than in the year 2004-05.