Criteria on BPL not meant to extend benefit of schemes

Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia today said that the criteria of Tendulkar Committee on Below Poverty Line, BPL is not meant to extend benefits of the centrally sponsored schemes to deprived sections of population. Addressing a joint press conference along with the rural development Minister Jairam Ramesh, he added that the Tendulkar Committee Criteria is actually the standard of living of those at poverty line in 1973-74. In response to a question on changing the affidavit on the issue, he said that it is a response to the specific queries raised by the Supreme Court. He made it clear that in the affidavit, Plan panel has converted monthly consumption into daily per capita figure of 32 rupees in urban areas and 26 rupees for rural areas. This, he said appears very low.

To put at rest the controversy, the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission said that Tendulkar Committee will help in the coverage of more and more above a fixed line of income. He said that the criteria for BPL will continue to remain a relevant reference point. Mr. Ahluwalia said that the eligibility and entitlements of beneficiary households for different central schemes will be determined after Socio Economic caste census, SECC are available and are analysed.

The Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today said that the government will seek to ensure that no poor household remains excluded from the benefit of different central government schemes. He said an Expert Committee is being appointed to ensure that the methodology is consistent with the provisions of Food Security Bill.

Mr. Ramesh said that Socio Economic caste census will be completed by next year and the planning commission methodology will not be used to impose any ceilings on the number of households to be included to extend the benefits of the different government programmes and schemes.