Besides the two major sectors of education and health, human development also depends on basic social infrastructure like shelter and water, while the overarching consideration is the extent of poverty that shuts off the poor from the benefits of all improvement opportunities – including those provided free – that require even small amounts of complementary private expenditure. Mainstream poverty alleviation programmes address some dimensions of poverty; in particular those arising from lack of employment opportunities, but these have to be supplemented by other welfare programmes targeted at specific groups of beneficiaries such as the old and the infirm, destitute, widows who cannot support themselves, particular groups of underprivileged citizens, and the disabled. In general, there can be a vicious cycle of poverty and low human development, each reinforcing the other. Even considering the narrow area of public finances, a high level of poverty usually implies large expenditure obligations but a small resource base.