(a) whether the Government is committed to eradicate poverty;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the time by which poverty will be eradicated from the country; and
(d) the steps taken so far by the Government in this regard?
(a) whether the Government is committed to eradicate poverty;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) if not, the time by which poverty will be eradicated from the country; and
(d) the steps taken so far by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
AND EARTH SCIENCES (SHRI ASHWANI KUMAR)
(a) to (c): Yes, Sir. Government is fully committed to working for the reduction
and eventual elimination of poverty. The Eleventh Five Year Plan, for achieving
inclusive growth, aims at reduction in the Head-Count Ratio of Consumption Poverty
by 10 percentage points during the Plan period (2007-12).
(d): The Government has taken various measures to reduce poverty in the country
through direct intervention by implementing programmes such as Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY),
Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), Antyoday Anna Yojana (AAY), Targeted Public Distribution System
(TPDS), Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM), Swarna Jyanti
Shahri Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY), etc. All these programmes, and government policies relating to
inclusive economic growth, aim at reducing the incidence of poverty and improving living
condition of poor in the country. Over the years, the sharp edges of acute poverty and
deprivation have been blunted as a result of various programmes and policies of the
Government, as also there has been a reduction in the percentage of people living
below poverty.