A Perspective of Poverty and Distribution of Income inCoastal Areas of Sindh Province of Pakistan

Thatta District is one of three districts along the coast of Sindh Province of Pakistan. Totalpopulation of the district is around 1.4 million of which 89% lives in rural settlements.There are three distinct areas of the district viz. hilly, canal area, and coastal delta. Out of9 nine Talukas (administrative units), 6 Talukas are coastal and 3 are not coastal. Incomparison of non-coastal areas, coastal areas are not so thickly populated, but incidenceof poverty is much higher. This study attempted to measure the poverty and distribution ofincome, and to explore the factor enhancing poverty level. Estimates of the study revealedthat average income of household was Rs. 18,801 (US$ 219; @Rs. 86 = 1 US$). Lowestlevel of income (Rs. 14,334) was recorded for Keti Bunder Taluka in coastal area. Percapita per month income was recorded as Rs. 2,549 (US $ = 30). Agriculture and livestockwere major sources of income of the people contributing about 49 and 25 percent of thetotal income, respectively. On an overall basis, around 40 percent of the population wasliving in poverty in Thatta District. More than half (55 percent) of the households of KetiBunder Taluka were recorded in poverty. Sen Index reflecting the severity of povertyrevealed higher incidence of poverty in Keti Bunder (0.36) while the overall Sen Indexwas estimated at 0.27. On the other hand, highest income inequality was found in MirpurSakro where poverty was relatively low (33 percent) against the overall proportion of 40percent. Education, number of earners, number of buffaloes and cows, and possession ofland was the major contributors of increasing incomes and getting the households out ofpoverty. However, number of household members increased the level of poverty

کلیدواژه ها:

Poverty ، Distribution of Income ، Logistic Regression Model