Cultures of india - part 6

Social Welfare and Change Programs

Traditionally the family was responsible for the care of the poor, incapacitated, elderly, and very young. For rural populations this is still largely true. In recent decades, underfunded state governments, often with international help, have tried to create more jobs for the poor as a direct way of helping them. Beyond this, welfare organizations have helped, but they are largely private and often religious foundations with relatively little financing. The population in need of social welfare support is too vast for the facilities that are available, and these people are disproportionately concentrated in the cities

An Indian shopkeeper with his wares. Small shops still make up a big part of the Indian economy.

had 1,145,000 personnel. In 1998, the nation exploded a nuclear bomb as a test.