(a) whether a large number of people in the country are living Below Poverty Line (BPL);
(b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and till date, State/UT-wise;
(c) whether the existing criteria to determine the number of people living Below Poverty Line is an impediment in the way of poverty alleviation;
(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
(e) the corrective measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) MINISTRY OF PLANNING, MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION, MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE (RAO INDERJ1T SINGH)
(a) & (b): The Planning Commission estimates poverty from the 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. The poverty lines and poverty ratios for 2011-12 computed following the extant Tendulkar methodology have been released through a Press Note issued on 22nd July 2013. According to this Press Note, for the year 2011-12, the poverty ratio in the country is 21.9 percent. The State/UT-wise details are given at annexure.
(c) to (e): No Madam. As per the latest estimates, percentage of persons living below the Poverty Line in 2011-12 has been estimated as 21.9% for the country as a whole. The comparative poverty ratio in the country for 1993-94 and 2004-05 was 45,3% and 37.2% respectively.