Political parties slam Rangarajan report on poverty

Political parties slammed the new benchmark for defining poverty suggested by the Rangarajan Committee saying it mocked the poor and made little sense.

The committee has recommended that a person spending above Rs 47 in urban centres and above Rs 32 in rural areas is above the poverty line.

Besides the opposition parties, voices within the government questioned the assessment.

"We think that the BPL criteria figures are misleading and we will take up the issue with an appropriate forum of the government," said senior BJP leader and Union Minister Uma Bharti.

The report has embarrassed the Congress as it was during its tenure at the Centre that the government had asked the committee to undertake the task of identifying the poverty criteria. The view in the Congress was that the issue needs a robust debate.

"We have to look at the reality. Rangarajan is an excellent economist. The report has to be debated and a decision taken by the authority concerned," senior Congress leader and former minister M. Veerappa Moily said.

According to the panel's estimates, poverty stood at 38.2 per cent in 2009- 10 before sliding to 29.5 per cent in 2011-12.

Defending his calculation that three out of every 10 people in India are poor, Rangarajan said the numbers provided by him are not conservative estimates and that they are at par with global standards.

But the Left too attacked the report, describing it as ridiculous.

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said the figures neither make common sense nor economic sense. "As far the new definition of poverty given by the Rangarajan Committee is concerned, it is appalling," he said.

The Samajwadi Party rubbished the report and took a jibe at Rangarajan, former chairman of the PM's Economic Advisory Committee.

"We will give Rs 100 to Rangarajan every day and ask him to spend a day in a village and let him have a full meal. Then we will believe that findings of the report are correct. Those staying and travelling in ACs cars will not understand what poverty is. We condemn the report," SP leader Naresh Agarwal said.

The BSP joined other parties as well in attacking the report.

"This is nothing but making a joke of poor people. Whatever figures have been given and the way it has been calculated, our party does not support it," BSP leader and former chief minister Mayawati said.

In association with Mail Today