Over 60% Indians live on Rs 20/day
The debate over poverty
levels in the country found resonance in the Economic Survey with the report
stating that 60.5% of the population was capable of spending only Rs 20 a day
as per the latest National Sample Survey.
A wide range of poverty numbers have been floating around from different
government agencies with the N C Saxena committee being the latest. The
Planning Commission's estimate has been the most conservative at 27.5% while
the National Commission on Enterprises in the unorganized sector, in its
report, had suggested that 77% of the total population in 2004-05 could spend
less than Rs 20 a day per person. The poverty figures are drawn on the basis of
the minimal nutrition required per person for a healthy living and the ability
to purchase the nutrition in terms of a food basket.
The debate got stronger with the UPA's ambitious Food Security
Act on the anvil. The proposed scheme is meant to provide food grain at Rs 3
per kg to households below the poverty line. Redefining of the poverty line is
bound to have a profound effect on the spread of the social security net as
well as the subsidy bill of the government.
While the food ministry had recommended curtailing the scheme to
merely 5.91 crore people, the N C Saxena committee has suggested that half the
households in the country should avail BPL schemes.
The Economic Survey said poverty levels had gone down over the years of liberalization
but pointed out that malnutrition rates had been stuck at a serious level.
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