Poverty Alleviation Programs — Policy Reforms

Entry	Year	Description	Impact
42nd Amendment Act	1976	Added new Directive Principles: Article 39A (Equal Justice and Free Legal Aid), Article 43A (Participation of Workers in Management of Industries), and Article 48A (Protection and Improvement of Environment and Safeguarding of Forests and Wild Life).	Strengthened the socialist and welfare orientation of the Constitution, providing further guidance for state policies aimed at reducing inequality and ensuring social justice, indirectly supporting poverty alleviation through legal aid and worker participation.
44th Amendment Act	1978	Removed the right to property from the list of Fundamental Rights and made it a legal right under Article 300A. Also, Article 38 was amended to minimize inequalities in income, status, facilities, and opportunities.	The amendment to Article 38 explicitly directed the state to minimize inequalities, directly reinforcing the constitutional mandate for poverty alleviation and equitable distribution of resources. Removing property as a fundamental right facilitated land reforms and other redistributive policies essential for poverty reduction.
86th Amendment Act	2002	Made elementary education a Fundamental Right under Article 21A and changed Article 45 to make provision for early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.	By making education a fundamental right, this amendment directly impacts poverty alleviation by improving human capital and future earning potential of children from poor families. The focus on early childhood care (Article 45) also strengthens programs like ICDS, which are crucial for breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.