(a) whether the Government appointed a panel under the chairmanship
of Abhijit Sen to rework the methodology for poverty estimation;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the panel has submitted its report to Government;
(d) if so, the details thereof along with the salient features of the recommendations thereof;and
(e) if not, the time by which the committee is likely to submit its report?
MINSTER OF STATE FOR PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS & PLANNING (SHRI RAJEEV SHUKLA)
(a) & (b) The Planning Commission has not appointed a panel under the chairmanship of Abhijit
Sen to rework the methodology for poverty estimation. The Planning Commission, in June 2012,
has constituted an Expert Group under the Chairmanship of Dr. C. Rangarajan to “Review the
Methodology for Measurement of Povertyâ€. The Terms of Reference for the Expert Group are as
follows:
(i) To comprehensively review the existing methodology of estimation of poverty and examine
whether the poverty line should be fixed solely in terms of a consumption basket or whether
other criteria are also relevant, and if so, whether the two can be effectively combined to
evolve a basis for estimation of poverty in rural and urban areas.
(ii) To examine the issue of divergence between consumption estimates based on the National
Sample Survey Office (NSSO) methodology and those emerging from the National Accounts aggregates;
and to suggest a methodology for updating consumption poverty lines using the new consumer price
indices launched by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) for rural and urban areas state-
wise.
(iii) To review alternative methods of estimation of poverty which may be in use in other
countries, including their procedural aspects; and indicate whether on this basis, a
particular method can be evolved for empirical estimation of poverty in India, including
procedures for updating it over time and across states.
(iv) To recommend how the estimates of poverty, as evolved above, should be linked to
eligibility and entitlements for schemes and programmes under the Government of India.
(c) to (e) As per Terms and Reference, the Expert Group has to submit its report within a year.