(a) whether the Government has taken cognizance of differences of poverty status between urban and rural areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to respond to the situation; and
(c) whether any study has been conducted by any Government agency in this regard and if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING
AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE
RAO INDERJIT SINGH
(a) & (b) : The Government is aware of the poverty status prevailing in urban and rural areas of the country. The poverty in the country has been estimated regularly by the Government based on Large Sample Surveys on Household Consumer Expenditure carried out by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. These surveys are normally conducted on quinquennial basis. The latest data of Large Sample Survey on Household Consumer Expenditure has been collected by NSSO in its 68th round conducted in 2011-12. For the year 2011-12, at all India level, the poverty ratio has been estimated as 25.7 percent in rural areas and 13.7 percent in urban areas.
The Government has initiated various measures to improve the quality of life of the people and to reduce poverty in the rural as well as urban areas of the country through direct intervention by implementing specific poverty reduction and mitigation programmes. To improve the livelihood security of the poor households in rural areas of the country, the Government is implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) which is world’s largest public work programme. The other important schemes targeted towards poverty alleviation in both rural and urban areas include Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation Mission (AMRUT), Housing for All, National Health Mission (NHM), Sarva Sikhsha Abhiyaan (SSA), Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS), Swachh Bharat Mission, National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)/ National Food Security Act (NFSA), road connectivity through the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti BimaYojana, the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana etc. There are many other initiatives which are directly taken by the State Governments keeping in view the State and district-specific requirements. The emphasis of the Government is on “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” which symbolizes inclusive development.
(c): No specific study has recently been conducted by NITI Aayog regarding differences of poverty status between urban and rural areas.