To this day there is no reliable data on the total number of the ultra poor and people living at various levels of poverty. Mere micro-credit alone will not be able to address all the complex issues of poverty. As was rightly pointed out in the seminar alongside the economic aspects, seeds of change also have to be sown to be able to effectively deal with market-based economy or political solutions for the poorest.

We are in full agreement with the observations and concerns expressed by the experts. With the growing all round economic disparity and the increasing gap between the rich and the poor, there is but no alternative to formulating proper policy planning and intervention strategies in order to effectively and comprehensively deal with the various issues of poverty alleviation. The cycle of poverty is not only complex but also becoming endemic in nature.

The need for proper data is thus unquestionable and vital in order to be able to formulate an effective planning and action programme aimed at escaping the cycle of poverty by the ultra poor.

We therefore urge all agencies concerned of the government to come forward and commit themselves to collecting and assimilating credible data. In this effort the expertise and the experience of various private research organisations including a select group of NGOs could also be utilised. We should all remember that investing in poverty alleviation of the ultra poor is, in the long run, linked to the very survival of the nation at large.