Assessment of the level of poverty and the standard of living of the rural population in the Saratov region

Issue № 6, 2022, article № 4, pages 26-30

Language: Russian

Original language title: ОЦЕНКА УРОВНЯ БЕДНОСТИ И УРОВНЯ ЖИЗНИ СЕЛЬСКОГО НАСЕЛЕНИЯ В САРАТОВСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

Keywords: RURAL POPULATION, RURAL AREAS, POVERTY LEVEL, STANDARD OF LIVING, ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES, QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY, POVERTY INDEX, WAGES, INFRASTRUCTURE PROVISION

Abstract: An assessment of the poverty level of the rural population of the Saratov region was carried out on the basis of both foreign and domestic scientific approaches. The poverty index was calculated based on the methodology proposed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). To determine the social status and standard of living of residents of rural areas of the Saratov region, a questionnaire was developed and an anonymous survey of respondents was conducted. The survey involved 100 people with different social status and age. The study revealed that over the entire study period, the proportion of the poor in the Volga Federal District was higher than in Russia as a whole (by about 1.5–2%). In the Saratov region, the poverty index exceeded the national indicator by 2–3 times over the study period from 2013 to 2019, which is primarily due to a higher proportion of the population with incomes below the subsistence level (the regional indicator is 15.5%, the indicator in the country - 12.3% in 2019). In the region, this indicator showed a slight downward trend - from 0.332 to 0.304, while the poverty index in the Russian Federation decreased from 0.167 to 0.117. According to the processing of the questionnaires, it can be concluded that the average salary of the respondents ranges from 15,865–22,865 rubles, which is much lower than the official average regional value of 33,544.50 rubles. Of all respondents, only 18% noted the possibility of obtaining additional income. A general conclusion is drawn that the gap in the standard of living of the rural and urban population entails an outflow of residents of rural areas to cities, as well as high social tension.

Authors: Kudriashova Ekaterina Vladimirovna, Glukhov Sergei Germanovich