The Impact of Infrastructure Development on Urban Poverty Reduction

Abstract

Poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon and it is clear that there are aspects of poverty which go beyond the conventional measures of monetary income. Urban poverty has gained acceptance as a major issue that warrants a holistic approach, which included both physical and social infrastructure. Infrastructure can broadly be defined as long-term physical assets that operate in markets with high barriers to entry and enable the provision of goods and services (NZSIF) and as a key element of poverty alleviation. Social Infrastructure is a subset of the infrastructure sector and typically includes assets that accommodate social services. Over the years the improvement in Infrastructure facilities is one of the key milestones in improving the wellbeing of residents. Recently, it has been a remarkable sight that the responsible authorities have taken part to improve the quality of the urban poor through infrastructure development. Although many infrastructural development programs have been accelerated, it is exceptional to aware of the impact of those attempts. The main objective of the research is to explore the impact ofinfrastructure development on urban poverty reduction. The research was both qualitative and quantitative. Dematagoda Grama Niladhari Division of Thimbirigasyaya divisional secretariat in Colombo district was selected as the study area. Both primary and secondary data were collected to proceed the study. According to the study it was revealed that unequivocally, infrastructural development leads to poverty reduction. But Social Infrastructure Compared to Physical Infrastructure, poverty reduction is less progressive. Although Social Infrastructure benefits residents it takes time, it is because the behavior rooted patterns