(a) whether the Planning Commission has decided to make new norms for providing benefits
of welfare schemes to the poor as reported in the media;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether new norms / criteria have been fixed;
(d) if so, the details thereof;
(e) If not, the reasons for the delay; and
(f) the time by which it is likely to implement the proposed new norms in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES(DR. ASHWANI KUMAR)
(a) to (f): There has been a debate in the recent past on the issue of number of Below
Poverty Line (BPL) families to be identified, using Planning Commission`s poverty estimates
as cap, for the purpose of extending benefits under various schemes and programmes of the
government. It has been announced by the Joint Statement of Deputy Chairman, Planning
Commission and Union Minister of Rural Development, issued on 3rd October 2011, that the
present State wise poverty estimates based on Planning Commission`s methodology will not
be used to impose any ceiling on the number of households to be included in different
government programmes and schemes. Multiple dimensions of deprivations based on the
indicators that are being collected through the on-going Socio-Economic Caste Census
(SECC), 2011 would be taken into account for arriving at specific entitlements. By the
time the SECC 2011 is completed, the Ministry of Rural Development and the Planning
Commission will consult the States, Experts and Civil Society Organisations and arrive
at a consensus on the methodology to determine the eligibility and entitlements under
various programmes / schemes.