(a) whether the Government has constituted a committee under the Vice Chairman, Niti Ayog to suggest the criteria for modifications of BPL beneficiaries;
(b) if so, the details there of and the other members of the Committee;
(c) whether the committee has submitted its report; and
(d) if so, the salient features of the repot?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING
AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND
MINISTRY OF HOUSING & URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION
(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)
(a) & (b): Pursuant to the decision taken in the first meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog held under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister on 8th February, 2015, a Task Force on Elimination of Poverty in India was constituted by NITI Aayog on 16th March, 2015 under the Chairmanship of Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog. The Terms of Reference and composition of the Task Force is at Annex I.
(c) & (d): The report of the Task Force was submitted to Hon’ble Prime Minister on 11th July, 2016. The report of the Task Force primarily focusses on issues of measurement of poverty and strategies to combat poverty. Regarding estimation of poverty, the report of the Task Force states that “a consensus in favour of either the Tendulkar or a higher poverty line did not emerge. Therefore, the Task Force has concluded that the matter be considered in greater depth by the country’s top experts on poverty before a final decision is made. Accordingly, it is recommended that an expert committee be set up to arrive at an informed decision on the level at which the poverty line should be set.” With respect to strategies to combat poverty, the Task Force has made recommendations on faster poverty reduction through employment intensive sustained rapid growth and effective implementation of anti-poverty programs.
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Annex I
Annex -I as referred in reply to Part (a) & (b) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.180
Task Force on Elimination of Poverty in India
A. Terms of Reference:
i. To coordinate and develop synergy with the Central Ministries and State Governments Task Forces.
ii. To develop working definition of poverty.
iii. To prepare a roadmap for elimination of poverty.
iv. To suggest strategies and anti-poverty programmes including reform of the existing ones.
v. To identify successful anti-poverty programmes from which all states and UTs can learn,
vi. Any other relevant measures.
B. The Task Force Members
The Task Force on Elimination of Poverty in India comprised of the followings:
1. Dr Arvind Panagariya, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog Chairman
2. Mr. Bibek Debroy, Member, NITI Aayog Member
3. Dr. Rathin Roy, Expert Member
4. Dr. Surjit Bhalla,Expert Member
5. Dr. TCA Anant, Chief Statistician, GoI Member
6. Secretary, Department of Rural Development, GoI Member
7. Secretary, M/o Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, GoI Member
8. Secretary, Department of MSME, GoI Member
9. Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development, GoI Member
10. Secretary, Department of Financial Services, GoI Member
11. Director General, UIDAI Member
12. Dr. Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser Special Invitee
Ministry of Finance
13. Dr. Pronab Sen,
Former Chairman, National Statistical Commission Special Invitee
14. Shri Amitabh Kant, Former Secretary, DIPP & Special Invitee
Present CEO, NITI Aayog
15. Dr. Savita Sharma, Former Adviser (DM&A), NITI Aayog Member Convener
16. Dr. Ashok Kumar Jain, Adviser (RD), NITI Aayog Member Convener