IMPACT OF EXCLUSION OF POOR COMMUNITIES ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: A Studyof District Lodhran in Southern Punjab (Pakistan)
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Date
2009
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Department Of Sociology, University Of Peshawar
Abstract
This study describes the impact of exclusion of poor communities on social development
in district Lodhran. The study circulates around the involvement of poor communities of
district Lodhran, particularly BISP beneficiaries and responsible major stakeholders of
social development. Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries in district
Lodhran were the respondent and connivance sampling technique was used for the
selection of 400 respondents for quantitative study and 27 participants were involved in 03
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Interview schedule was used as a tool of quantitative
while Question guide/Checklist was developed as a tool for qualitative data collection.
Uni-vairate and Bi-variate analysis has been made through Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS) while quantitative data analysis was made by content analysis (thematic
analysis).
Uni-variate and bivariate analysis results reflected that people are thumb engraver and their
incomeis less as compared to their expenses. People have large family sizes and prefer to
live in joint families in small homes with less number of rooms. Agriculture is the largest
profession and majority uses bicycle/motor cycle for personal transportation in emergency.
The people were unhappy with the governmental policies and they suffer from
discrimination and exploitation. Economic as well as social resources are grabbed by the
rich and the pooris left cramped. Lawlessness prevails as the law enforcement agencies are
puppets in the hands of bigwigs. All community development decisions and policies are
made bythe rich people in the area. Excluded people were not aware about importance of
tax revenue and its proper utilization. Exclusion slows down the process of social
developmentin district Lodhran, the poor can not avail themselves timely help, even their
relatives, friends and colleagues do not support them at the time of emergency.