Question : FAMILIES LIVING BELOW POVERTY LINE

(a) the details of schemes formulated by the Government for the families living below the poverty line;

(b) whether the Government has directed the State Governments to revise the BPL list;

(c) if so, the name of States where such revision has been made;

(d) whether the Government is planning for fresh Below Poverty Line census to identify the BPL families;

(e) if so, the details thereof;

(f) whether there is any differences in calculating poverty assessment criteria between Union Government and State Governments; and

(g) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT(SHRI PRADEEP JAIN `ADITYA`)

(a): The Ministry of Rural Development implements following programmes under which assistance directly flows to BPL families. Under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) financial assistance is provided to rural BPL households for construction/up-gradation of dwelling units. The Swarnjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY) is a holistic Self Employment Programme under which rural poor are being organized into Self Help Groups, training is given for their capacity building and financial assistance is provided in the form of bank credit and subsidy to take up economic activities which could generate income on sustainable basis. Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) provides subsidy to BPL households for construction of sanitary latrine. Details of the schemes are also published on the website of the Ministry at www.rural.nic.in.

(b): No, Sir

(c): Question does not arise

(d)&(e): The Ministry of Rural Development, on 12th August, 2008, constituted an Expert Group,which could advise the Ministry on the methodology for conducting the BPL Census for the Eleventh Five Year Plan. The Expert Group submitted its report on 21st August 2009. The report of the Expert Group has been circulated among the States/UTs and the concerned Central Ministries for comments. It has also been posted on the Ministry`s website www.rural.nic.in. The Ministry is in the process of finalizing the methodology to carry out next BPL Census for identification of people living Below the Poverty Line in rural areas of the country, taking in to account the suggestions/comments received.

(f)&(g): The Planning Commission is the nodal agency in the Government of India for estimation of poverty at the national and state level. The state-wise poverty is estimated by the Planning Commission from the state-specific poverty lines and State Specific Consumer Expenditure Distribution obtained from the large sample surveys on Household Consumer Expenditure conducted by the National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO).