Andhra Pradesh has launched the ambitious ‘Zero Poverty – P4’ initiative under its Swarnadra 2047 vision, with the goal of ensuring a poverty-free state by 2029. The initiative was announced on Ugadi, marking the Telugu New Year, and aims to bridge the socio-economic divide by fostering inclusive growth.
About Zero Poverty – P4 Policy’ Initiative
Inclusive Growth Model:
- The programme encourages the wealthiest 10% of the population to support the bottom 20% of the poorest families.
- Establishes a Public-Private-People Partnership (P4) model.
Terminology & Roles:
- Margadarsies: Affluent individuals who act as mentors/guides.
- Bangaru Kutumbams: Underprivileged beneficiary families.
- The government functions as a facilitator by tracking progress via digital dashboards, but it does not engage in direct financial transactions.
Targeted Support & Empowerment:
- The government has identified 30 lakh families through Gram Sabhas for targeted assistance.
- Focus on holistic development:
- Providing house sites and constructing houses.
- Ensuring sanitation, 100% tap water connections, and LPG connections.
- Offering reliable power supply with incentives for rooftop solar installations.
- Providing high-speed Internet access for all households.
- Promoting entrepreneurship at the family level.
- Objective by 2029: Margadarsies are expected to uplift all Bangaru Kutumbams out of poverty by 2029, ensuring empowerment at the family level.
Significance
First-of-its-Kind Policy:
- Encourages a novel collaboration between the government, high net-worth individuals (HNIs), and the Telugu diaspora to reduce economic inequalities.
Holistic Approach to Poverty Alleviation:
- Combines financial support, career guidance, mentorship, and comprehensive development assistance.
- Aims to create sustainable socioeconomic progress by addressing multiple facets of poverty.
Government’s Strategic Role:
- Utilizes analytics from government databases and surveys to identify beneficiary families.
- Serves as an enabler for the initiative, framing the policy and monitoring progress through digital tools, while leaving the financial aspect to private partners.