Poverty is measured in terms of caloric food intake and income earned during the particular year. The minimum food requirements for rural and urban areas were predetermined as 2400 and 2100 caloric per person per day. If a person lives in rural area with Rs.49/- per month and Rs.57/- per month in urban area in 1973 – 74 prices they were considered as poverty living people. However, this estimation varies and not agreed by the subject experts. A number of programmes (self employment – IRDP and PMEGP; wage employment – JRY and MGNREGAs; public distribution system – PDS and SGSY and nutrition programmes) were implemented by the Government of India to eradicate poverty. Nonetheless, largest number of poor people lives in India. This paper discusses the ruralurban poverty disparity in Puducherry by taking 200 samples. The study has used Engel’s Law of Consumption expenditure, Head Count Ratio, Poverty Gap and Lorenz Curve for analysing the intensity of poverty. The study found that the incident of poverty was more among Agriculture Labourers including Livestock and Fishing occupation in rural area and Tailoring occupation in urban area. The paper concludes that poor remain poor due to lack of access to assets, illiteracy and ignorance. Poverty can be reduced by sifting occupation, training, loan for self- mployment and continuous supply of commodities through Public Distribution System (PDS) with increased quantity and quality products. 

Keywords: Poverty; Rural; Urban; Agriculture labourers including livestock and fishing; Construction workers; Trade and transport, Tailoring and other services.