Socio-economic status of BPL households in Lucknow district of Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

This study explores the socio-economic conditions of Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in rural areas of Lucknow District, Uttar Pradesh, with a focus on their living standards and food security challenges. Primary data were collected from 120 BPL households across three blocks- Bakshi ka Talab, Gosaiganj, and Mohanlalganj using a combination of multistage purposive and random sampling surveys conducted during 2023-2024. Primary Data was collected pre tested pre designing survey schedule with help of questionnaires, on-site visits, and Secondary data was collected included official reports and published documents. The findings reveal that 75.84% of surveyed households belong to the OBC 45.84% are between 46-55 years old, and 51.67% live in joint family structures. Educational attainment is generally low, with 29.16% completing only primary education and 20.84% lacking basic literacy. A binary logit regression analysis shows that income (p=0.00061), education (p=0.005), family structure (p=0.017), and household size (p=0.0123) significantly influence food security, while age and caste are not statistically relevant. Higher income and better education levels are linked to improved food security, whereas larger family sizes tend to increase vulnerability. Despite various government interventions, persistent issues such as unstable employment, poor access to healthcare and education, and limited awareness of welfare schemes continue to affect BPL households. Inadequate infrastructure further exacerbates these challenges. The study emphasizes the need for targeted policy measures to expand income-generation opportunities, improve educational access, and manage household resource limitations. The insights provided support efforts toward sustainable rural development and offer practical recommendations for reducing socio-economic inequalities in rural areas of Lucknow.