(a) whether poverty is more rampant in villages and rural areas in comparison
to cities and urban areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the government proposes to give priority to poverty alleviation
in rural areas and villages during the Twelfth Five Year Plan period; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS & PLANNING (SHRI RAJEEV SHUKLA)
(a) & (b) The Planning Commission estimates the number and proportion of people living Below
Poverty Line (BPL) at the national level and at state levels for rural and urban areas
separately. The latest estimates of poverty are available for the year 2009-10. As per
these estimates, 33.80% of people in rural areas and 20.85% in urban areas are living
below the poverty line. At national level, 28.81% of population is BPL in 2009-10.
(c) & (d) The Government has direct interventions for poverty alleviation through various
programmes specially focusing on generation of employment, development of rural infrastructure,
strengthening of rural livelihood and providing basic amenities to the rural people. The present
programmes of Ministry of Rural Development such as (i) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) (ii) Swaranjayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY)/National Livelihood
Mission (NRLM) now renamed as Aajeevika (iii) National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and
(iv) Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY) are the steps towards eradication of rural poverty.