The Immediate Community (TIC)
Concept
See the Table 2 Below-
In Indian Cities there are as many poor (Q1), as there are Rich and Middle class (Q5 to Q2). 20 Mn HH poor and Q5 to Q2 are 20 Mn HH.
Surprisingly 91% of the Q5 rich are in rural. Only 9% of the Q5 rich are in the Cities! So the Rich cats in the cities, you are not so rich after all!
How can we help the Urban Poor?
We keep seeing NGOs struggle to do something, and great inspiring stories also come to the fore of admirable individual initiatives. At those times I have felt a sense of longing to be one of them to help those who are less fortunate than I. But we can all start here and now - to use a an old saying - let charity begin at home.
So here is a plan.
The concept is one of The Immediate Community. TIC.
All HH Q5 to Q3 will surely have 2 to 3 people who provide some service or the other - Cooks, Top Workers, Drivers, Car Cleaners, Dhobi, Ironing man, Delivery boys, Plumbers, Watchmen, Electricians, etc
They constitute 90% of a city in India! They work for the Q5 to Q3. This I don’t mean in a derogatory way. I mean that there is an Eco-system of Need-Fulfillment-Payment-Survival.
But here is the difference. Can Q5 to Q3 do something more in a structured manner to help those who serve them? I have no doubt that every one gives a Diwali bonus and feels good about it. It is no favour we do them. It is but our means of explicitly thanking them for their service to help me live well.
Q5 to Q3 must vow that they will help them not only "live" by paying equal to the services they render, but will support them Additionally . This is what TIC programme. here are the steps:
- Recognize the presence of the Immediate Community around us. They render valuable service for as low as Usd100 (Rs5000) per month full time work. They maintain their families with this.
- It is never good to dole out extra money as cash. It will not be well used. Instead give then material support, as shown in table 1
What it costs Q5/3 HH is Rs. 400 per month. That is the cost of a Pizza dinner. See the table below-
Table1*
Kinds of Support
|
Monthly
|
Annual
|
Total
|
Medicines
|
100
|
1200
| |
School Books
|
500
|
500
| |
School Fees
|
150
|
1800
| |
School Vehicle
|
100
|
1200
| |
Medical Insurance
|
200
|
200
| |
Long term Life Insurance
|
200
|
200
| |
Total
|
5100
| ||
Monthly
|
425
|
* some quick estimates
So to support a Family in this way it costs only Rs. 425. To support 2, it costs less than Rs. 900, (half the cost of any fine dining)
So to support a Family in this way it costs only Rs. 425. To support 2, it costs less than Rs. 900, (half the cost of any fine dining)
So if all Q5 to Q3 support 2 families each, it will send out support worth Rs. 900 cr a month!
Every Family income will go up by 10%. This can compensate for the inflation.
So start Today. Make sure that no one who is in your TIC ever goes Hungry
The best feeling is when you have started it and not told anyone that you have. No fun posting a secret entry on face book !
Urban rural split
| |||||||||
Population Quintile arranged by Income
|
% Households(mn)
|
% of all HH Income
|
% of all hh expenditure
|
Surplus Income as a % to total Income
|
Income Index
|
Urban rural split
|
Urban%
|
rural%
|
Urban HH(mn)
|
Q1(LOWEST)
|
18(38)
|
6%
|
9%
|
-12%
|
100
|
52-48%
|
52%
|
48%
|
19.76
|
Q2
|
19(40)
|
9%
|
12%
|
11%
|
161
|
44-56%
|
44%
|
56%
|
17.6
|
Q3
|
20(42)
|
14%
|
17%
|
20%
|
225
|
23-77%
|
23%
|
77%
|
9.66
|
Q4
|
21(44)
|
21%
|
22%
|
31%
|
335
|
17-83%
|
17%
|
83%
|
7.48
|
Q5
|
22(46)
|
51%
|
40%
|
55%
|
841
|
9-91%
|
9%
|
91%
|
4.14
|
Notes
|
Almost equal No of HH across Quintiles
|
51% of the income is in the hands of 22% of the HH
|
22% account for 40% of the expenditure. 18% of hhspend 9%
|
Lowest poor are in perpetual debt, but all others have surplus
|
Richest is 8 times the poorest
|
Only 9% of the rich are Urban. 4.14 Mn only are urban, 41 Mn are rural ! 20 Mn HH of the poor are Urban. The growing Urban poor is a real problem.
| |||
Source: NCAER-CMCR
|
