Planning Commission constitutes an expert group headed by noted Economist C. Rangarajan to review the Tendulkar Committee methodology for estimating poverty.
Why this group has been constituted?
- After the controversy triggered by the Tendulkar Committee methodology that people consuming more than Rs 28.65 per daily in cities and Rs 22.42 in rural areas are not poor, the group has been constituted to look into the changed perspective of peoples views about poverty. Based on Tendulkar Committee methodology poverty has come down from 37.2 per cent in 2004-05 to 29.8 per cent in 2009-10 and the number of poor persons in the country has reduced from 40.7 crore in 2004-05 to 35.5 crore in 2009-10.
- The group will also suggest ways to link these estimates to eligibility and entitlements for government’s social sector schemes and programmes.