Poverty is reflected in deprivation of ownership of resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living. It is also reflected in an inability to assert ones rights, whether they are social, cultural, civil, political or economic. In a country like India the composition and magnitude of poverty is typically wide spread and has various socio-economic ramifications. Since independence successive governments have made efforts at alleviating poverty through policy and law. Nevertheless, the poor, in practice, are still bereft of rights and ownership, primarily due to their ignorance of law and lack of proper enforcement on the part of the state. The objectives of the centre are to conduct research on the state of being poor, implications of human rights, human development (education, health, earnings avenues and other related factors), gender studies and income distribution, poverty and environment, issues of migration and labour laws, empowerment and evaluation of various plans and projects aimed at poverty alleviation. It will actively participate in national and international forums for framing agenda for poverty alleviation and will also add further researches to the already existing stock of knowledge by organising workshops, seminars and publishing journals.