The early years of 1990s economic reform and change has neglected social sectors both in India and Central Asia. As a result, poverty has also increased in India and Central Asian countries. The economic, political, and social situation has worsened in all Central Asian states due to transition from command economy to market economy. The early 1990s political decision has been dominated by a narrowly conceived version of economic policy for both India and Central Asia. As a result, the quality and the structure of social protection changed in a negative way. Indeed, in some cases, the pursuit of a strict economic orthodoxy has left various sections of the community marginalized and alienated. Both the societies confront a number of challenges that is as profound as the economic changes of the past. The process of globalization and technical change has influenced economy and society in complex ways, including raising expectations of consumption and remuneration for skilled knowledge workers, creating greater demand for some information skills and services, causing unemployment amongst those with few qualifications, and destabilizing some traditional ways of life and increasing social exclusion. It detaches groups and individuals from social relations and institutions and prevents them from full participation in the normal activities of the society. In India and Central Asia, communities face social exclusion on the basis of their identity as ethnic groups, socio-economic groups, religious community, and gender. Inclusive development, therefore, is essential, and it should be the top priority in development programs of India and Central Asia. Research in this area has not been touched upon so far. Since Central Asian countries are relatively new and trying to establish their democratic institutions, this piece of work will be helpful for their nation-building processes. So far as the mutual benefit for both the regions is concerned, India is an old democracy, and its inclusive policy can be lessons for Central Asian countries. On the other hand, the experience of Central Asias policy implementation can be a lesson for India. This piece of work has potential impulses to policy makers, academicians, and researchers of these five Central Asian countries and India. This work can make a distinction than the conventional researcher in India by focusing on development studies, social exclusion, inclusive policies, and comparative studies in international developments. Key words: social exclusion, poverty, deprivation, development, diversity, India, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan

Despite India’s record of rapid economic growth and poverty reduction over recent decades, rising inequality in the country has been a subject of concern among policy makers, academics, and activists alike. Poverty and Social Exclusion in India focuses on social exclusion, which has its roots in India’s historical divisions along lines of caste, tribe, and the excluded sex, that is, women. These inequalities are more structural in nature and have kept entire groups trapped, unable to take advantage of opportunities that economic growth offers. Culturally rooted systems perpetuate inequality, and, rather than a culture of poverty that afflicts disadvantaged groups, it is, in fact, these inequality traps that prevent these groups from breaking out. Combining rigorous quantitative research with a discussion of these underlying processes, this book finds that exclusion can be explained by inequality in opportunities, inequality in access to markets, and inequality in voice and agency. This report will be of interest to policy makers, development practitioners, social scientists, and academics working to foster equality in India.

In 2011 the World Bank—with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation—launched the Global Findex database, the world's most comprehensive data set on how adults save, borrow, make payments, and manage risk. Drawing on survey data collected in collaboration with Gallup, Inc., the Global Findex database covers more than 140 economies around the world. The initial survey round was followed by a second one in 2014 and by a third in 2017. Compiled using nationally representative surveys of more than 150,000 adults age 15 and above in over 140 economies, The Global Findex Database 2017: Measuring Financial Inclusion and the Fintech Revolution includes updated indicators on access to and use of formal and informal financial services. It has additional data on the use of financial technology (or fintech), including the use of mobile phones and the Internet to conduct financial transactions. The data reveal opportunities to expand access to financial services among people who do not have an account—the unbanked—as well as to promote greater use of digital financial services among those who do have an account. The Global Findex database has become a mainstay of global efforts to promote financial inclusion. In addition to being widely cited by scholars and development practitioners, Global Findex data are used to track progress toward the World Bank goal of Universal Financial Access by 2020 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The database, the full text of the report, and the underlying country-level data for all figures—along with the questionnaire, the survey methodology, and other relevant materials—are available at www.worldbank.org/globalfindex.

This book takes a new approach on understanding causes of extreme poverty and promising actions to address it. Its focus is on marginality being a root cause of poverty and deprivation. “Marginality” is the position of people on the edge, preventing their access to resources, freedom of choices, and the development of capabilities. The book is research based with original empirical analyses at local, national, and local scales; book contributors are leaders in their fields and have backgrounds in different disciplines. An important message of the book is that economic and ecological approaches and institutional innovations need to be integrated to overcome marginality. The book will be a valuable source for development scholars and students, actors that design public policies, and for social innovators in the private sector and non-governmental organizations.​

This book looks at the major policy challenges facing developing Asia and how the region sustains rapid economic growth to reduce multidimensional poverty through socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable measures. Asia is facing many challenges arising from population growth, rapid urbanization, provision of services, climate change and the need to redress declining growth after the global financial crisis. This book examines poverty and related issues and aims to advance the development of new tools and measurement of multidimensional poverty and poverty reduction policy analysis. The book covers a wide range of issues, including determinants and causes of poverty and its changes; consequences and impacts of poverty on human capital formation, growth and consumption; assessment of poverty strategies and policies; the role of government, NGOs and other institutions in poverty reduction; rural-urban migration and poverty; vulnerability to poverty; breakdown of poverty into chronic and transitory components; and a comparative study on poverty issues in Asia and other regions. The book will appeal to all those interested in economic development, resources, policies and economic welfare and growth.