The root causes of poverty and the present situation in Western Orissa are not merely due to natural disasters and the consequent scarcity of food. The Problem of Poverty in Kalahandi-Bolangir region of Western Orissa is complex and has evolved over at least two centuries, with rapid acceleration in the last few decades. As a result endemic miseries, malnutrition, distress migration, ill health are all widespread. The roots of povrty are to be searched in the social history of the region.

Unless we see these problems in historical perspective and analyse them as a painful human condition with people having struggled with their coping strategies, we cannot reach to the root of the crisis. Today, In many pockets of the region, people have lost their power to protect their near and dears ones. They are deprived of their most basic resources needed to feed their family. Simply doing tonnes of food grains as aid, sanctioning money as economic assistance, promoting education and providing irrigation is not going to solve the problem of poverty in this region.