Question : Poverty Level

Will the Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs be pleased to state:-

(a) The number of people who have risen above the poverty line in the country during the last one decade since 2007, year-wise;
(b) the number of people who have been lifted out of extreme poverty during the said period;
(c) the details of the criteria and the changes in the criteria, if any, for poverty and extreme poverty levels;
(d) the details of the steps taken during the last four years since 2014 specifically aimed at curbing urban poverty; and
(e) the details of the said programmes and the extent to which such programmes have been successful?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTER OF HOUSING & URBAN AFFAIRS
[SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI]

(a) & (b) As per Poverty Estimates 2011-12 released by the erstwhile Planning Commission, the percentage of persons below poverty line in 2011-12 has been estimated as 13.7% in urban areas, 25.7% in rural areas and 21.9% for the country as a whole. The corresponding estimate in 2004-05 was 25.7%, 41.8% and respectively.

(c) The methodology for estimation of poverty followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission has been based on the recommendations made by experts in the field from time to time. The poverty estimates for 2011-12, which have been accepted, are based on the methodology recommended by Prof. Suresh D. Tendulkar Committee, which used implicit prices derived from quantity and value data collected in household consumer expenditure surveys for computing and updating the poverty lines. As per Tendulkar methodology, the poverty line has been expressed in terms of Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure based on Mixed Reference Period. Estimates of State-specific poverty line and percentage and number of persons below poverty line for rural and urban areas were prepared and released by erstwhile Planning Commission. Under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-(DAY-NULM), the urban poor population below poverty line is being identified by the States/UTs.

(d) This Ministry is implementing “Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)” to reduce poverty and vulnerability of urban poor households. The Mission is being implemented in all the statutory towns in the country, to be decided by the States/UTs as per local need and capability.

The Mission provides skill training and placement in wage as well as self-employment. It also provides for interest subvention on bank loans for self-employment ventures. Building strong grassroot level institutions of the urban poor is another focus area for the Mission. Further, the Mission aims at providing permanent shelters equipped with essential services to the urban homeless and also addressing livelihood concerns of the urban street vendors.

(e) Since April, 2014, 10,24,034 persons have been provided skill training, of which 3,28,996 have been placed in jobs or self-employed, 2,44,996 beneficiaries have been assisted for setting up individual or group micro-enterprises, 2,54,631 Self-Help Groups(SHGs) have been formed, 1,79,061 SHGs have been given Revolving Fund and 3,45,509 SHGs have been disbursed loans under SHG Bank Linkage Programme. In addition, 789 shelters have been made functional and 1980 cities have completed survey of urban street vendors.

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