The recent affidavit filed by the planning commission in supreme court has again raised questions on the role of it as a constitutional body and had indeed again bought the Manmohan Singh's government along with the Deputy Chairman of PC Montek Singh Ahluwalia into the lime light after the much hue and cry by Anna hazzare and his team on a campaign against corruption.
According to the PC affidavit, reportedly a very disturbing revelation has come forward in terms of defining the poverty line and the estimates of poverty in growing India, these are:- !) about Rs 26/- per person per day was found to be adequate for living in rural areas, and
2) about Rs 32/- per person per day was found to be adequate for living in urban areas.
These estimates are based on the Suresh Tendulkar Committee report. on whose recommendations PC filled the affidavit in the apex court. moreover these estimates are inclusive along with cost of non-food essential items such as clothing, shelter, health facilities, etc.
To much of a surprise these estimates are the consequence of a detailed statistical scheme that was found to be erratic by the National Sample Survey Of India which carried out the same report during the year of 1973-74. According to the NSS during 73-74 following were the estimates of the report-
1) about Rs 49/- per person per day was found to be adequate for living in rural areas, and
2) about Rs 52/- per person per day was found to be adequate for living in urban areas.
Besides this it also gave a similar detailed report based on calorific value, according to which:-
1) about 2400 k cal/day/ per person was found to be adequate in rural areas.
2) about 2100 k cal/day/ per person was found to be adequate in urban areas.
But unfortunately our Govt system is still clinging to the same erratic method. as a consequence of much hype by the media the planning commission deputy chairman went on damage control mode and issued a joint statement along with rural development minister Jairam Ramesh saying that it was just the per capita number which only means that for a family of five Rs 32 /- in urban areas will have to be multiplied by 5.
Simultaneously agreeing to the fact that he along with other cabinet ministers cannot spend a day on the estimates that were quoted in his affidavit moreover he added that these are only indicative figures as to decide the approach for targeting and planning for people who are BPl.
The UPA II government has indeed has brought certain effective legislations such as:-
1) RTI ACT 2005
2) expansion of MGNREGA.
3) food Security Bill ( yet to come in winter session).
But has failed to curb corruption related issues and address the grievances of AAM AADMI. In the light of these developments the above estimates are a WAKE- UP- CALL for the UPA-II to address the long ignored poverty issue through smart, effective, corruption free and technological based governance.
