Planning Commission's shocker..person earning Rs. 32/- daily is APL not BPL..
Since the past couple of months, nothing seems to be going right for the Govt.
Starting from the slap it received from the Supreme Court which cancelled the CVC appointment, the CWG, 2G scams chargesheets and subsequent arrests of ministers and other high profile personalities, the Govt. is on a roller coaster. The latest addition came with the submission of an affidavit by the Planning Commission to the Supreme Court on who constitutes a BPL- Below Poverty Line - person.
The Planning Commission headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Dy. Chairman and having PM Manmohan Singh as the ex-officio Chairman, has told the Supreme Court that poverty line for urban and rural areas in India could be provisionally placed at Rs. 965 per capita per month and Rs. 781 per capita per month respectively.
This would mean those earning over Rs. 32 a day in urban areas and over Rs. 25 a day in rural India will no longer be considered for Below Poverty Line (BPL) benefits.
The Commission has revised its BPL figures but given today's prices, these kinds of limitations and yardsticks are totally inadequate.
Members of Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) have also slammed the Commission for being insensitive.
The Planning Commission's new yardstick to define poverty has also outraged UPA ally NCP.
The Planning Commission preferred its submission on new poverty definition to the Supreme Court after the apex court had asked the panel to spell out the criteria for getting a Below Poverty Line or BPL card.
Earlier, the plan panel had said anyone who could spend more than 20 rupees a day was not eligible for a BPL card. The cut-off was later revised.
The Congress is, meanwhile, trying to play down the report, saying that these are not final figures and there can be genuine bona fide differences in opinion, but they should put their views before the Planning Commission.
The Planning Commission told the Supreme Court that the below poverty line (BPL) population in the country is 40.74 crore and the poverty line for the urban and rural areas could be provisionally placed at Rs. 965 per capita per month (around Rs. 32 per day) and Rs. 781 per capita per month (around Rs. 26 per day), respectively.
The Planning Commission, in an affidavit, said that the BPL population at present touched by the Public Distribution Services (PDS) was 35.98 crore.
"If the Tendulkar (committee) poverty ratio for 2004/05 is applied to the projected population of the Registrar General of India as on March 1, 2005, the total BPL population would be 40.74 crore," the affidavit said.
The poverty estimates for year 2009-10 were being worked out and the "provisional estimates suggest that the total BPL population as per 2009-10 estimation may be lower than that which would have emerged (on the basis) of Tendulkar ratio on 2004-05 projection", it said.
The bench's order asked the Planning Commission to "revise norms of per capita amount looking at the price index of May 2011 or any subsequent dates".
The affidavit said that on applying price increase using the consumer price index for industrial workers in urban areas and the consumer price index for agricultural labourers for rural areas, "the poverty line at June 2011 price level can be placed provisionally at Rs.965 per capita per month in urban areas and Rs. 781 per capita per month in rural areas."
"At June 2011 price level, for a family of five, this provisional poverty line would amount to Rs. 4,824 per month in urban areas and Rs. 3,905 per month in rural areas," the affidavit said.
The affidavit said that the final poverty line following the Tendulkar Committee ratio would only be available after completion of the 2011-12 National Sample Survey (NSS) and this would vary from state to state because of price differential.
The controversial Government affidavit on Below Poverty Line(BPL) cap has been condemned by Opposition as an "insult and betrayal" of the poor.
The affidavit virtually means that if one earns even one rupee more than Rs 32 per day he will not be entitled to a BPL card.
It reflected government's deep lack of empathy for the poor and a perspective completely divorced from reality.
The government had said in the affidavit that the revised benchmark for fixing those falling in BPL category is an earning of Rs 32 per day. Under the new definition, Rs 965 per month in urban areas and Rs 781 per month in rural areas is the criteria fixed for BPL.
New BPL Figures
The Planning Commission hs told the Supreme Court that the below poverty line (BPL) population in the country is 40.74 crore and the poverty line for the urban and rural areas could be provisionally placed at Rs. 965 per capita per month (around Rs. 32 per day) and Rs. 781 per capita per month (around Rs. 26 per day), respectively.
Thus, urban households having five members with daily consumption basket of food and other items of more than Rs 161 will not be entitled to benefits provided to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. This figure will be Rs 130 for rural areas.
The Planning Commission, in the affidavit, said that the BPL population at present touched by the Public Distribution Services (PDS) was 35.98 crore.
The affidavit said that the final poverty line following the Tendulkar Committee ratio would only be available after completion of the 2011-12 National Sample Survey (NSS) and this would vary from state to state because of price differential.
The Supreme Court has also expressed surprise at the Govt. figures.
One hopes that with the Supreme Court reprimand, wiser counsels shall prevail on the Commission.
Starting from the slap it received from the Supreme Court which cancelled the CVC appointment, the CWG, 2G scams chargesheets and subsequent arrests of ministers and other high profile personalities, the Govt. is on a roller coaster. The latest addition came with the submission of an affidavit by the Planning Commission to the Supreme Court on who constitutes a BPL- Below Poverty Line - person.
The Planning Commission headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Dy. Chairman and having PM Manmohan Singh as the ex-officio Chairman, has told the Supreme Court that poverty line for urban and rural areas in India could be provisionally placed at Rs. 965 per capita per month and Rs. 781 per capita per month respectively.
This would mean those earning over Rs. 32 a day in urban areas and over Rs. 25 a day in rural India will no longer be considered for Below Poverty Line (BPL) benefits.
The Commission has revised its BPL figures but given today's prices, these kinds of limitations and yardsticks are totally inadequate.
Members of Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) have also slammed the Commission for being insensitive.
The Planning Commission's new yardstick to define poverty has also outraged UPA ally NCP.
The Planning Commission preferred its submission on new poverty definition to the Supreme Court after the apex court had asked the panel to spell out the criteria for getting a Below Poverty Line or BPL card.
Earlier, the plan panel had said anyone who could spend more than 20 rupees a day was not eligible for a BPL card. The cut-off was later revised.
The Congress is, meanwhile, trying to play down the report, saying that these are not final figures and there can be genuine bona fide differences in opinion, but they should put their views before the Planning Commission.
The Planning Commission told the Supreme Court that the below poverty line (BPL) population in the country is 40.74 crore and the poverty line for the urban and rural areas could be provisionally placed at Rs. 965 per capita per month (around Rs. 32 per day) and Rs. 781 per capita per month (around Rs. 26 per day), respectively.
The Planning Commission, in an affidavit, said that the BPL population at present touched by the Public Distribution Services (PDS) was 35.98 crore.
"If the Tendulkar (committee) poverty ratio for 2004/05 is applied to the projected population of the Registrar General of India as on March 1, 2005, the total BPL population would be 40.74 crore," the affidavit said.
The poverty estimates for year 2009-10 were being worked out and the "provisional estimates suggest that the total BPL population as per 2009-10 estimation may be lower than that which would have emerged (on the basis) of Tendulkar ratio on 2004-05 projection", it said.
The bench's order asked the Planning Commission to "revise norms of per capita amount looking at the price index of May 2011 or any subsequent dates".
The affidavit said that on applying price increase using the consumer price index for industrial workers in urban areas and the consumer price index for agricultural labourers for rural areas, "the poverty line at June 2011 price level can be placed provisionally at Rs.965 per capita per month in urban areas and Rs. 781 per capita per month in rural areas."
"At June 2011 price level, for a family of five, this provisional poverty line would amount to Rs. 4,824 per month in urban areas and Rs. 3,905 per month in rural areas," the affidavit said.
The affidavit said that the final poverty line following the Tendulkar Committee ratio would only be available after completion of the 2011-12 National Sample Survey (NSS) and this would vary from state to state because of price differential.
The controversial Government affidavit on Below Poverty Line(BPL) cap has been condemned by Opposition as an "insult and betrayal" of the poor.
The affidavit virtually means that if one earns even one rupee more than Rs 32 per day he will not be entitled to a BPL card.
It reflected government's deep lack of empathy for the poor and a perspective completely divorced from reality.
The government had said in the affidavit that the revised benchmark for fixing those falling in BPL category is an earning of Rs 32 per day. Under the new definition, Rs 965 per month in urban areas and Rs 781 per month in rural areas is the criteria fixed for BPL.
New BPL Figures
The Planning Commission hs told the Supreme Court that the below poverty line (BPL) population in the country is 40.74 crore and the poverty line for the urban and rural areas could be provisionally placed at Rs. 965 per capita per month (around Rs. 32 per day) and Rs. 781 per capita per month (around Rs. 26 per day), respectively.
Thus, urban households having five members with daily consumption basket of food and other items of more than Rs 161 will not be entitled to benefits provided to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. This figure will be Rs 130 for rural areas.
The Planning Commission, in the affidavit, said that the BPL population at present touched by the Public Distribution Services (PDS) was 35.98 crore.
The affidavit said that the final poverty line following the Tendulkar Committee ratio would only be available after completion of the 2011-12 National Sample Survey (NSS) and this would vary from state to state because of price differential.
The Supreme Court has also expressed surprise at the Govt. figures.
One hopes that with the Supreme Court reprimand, wiser counsels shall prevail on the Commission.
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