Plan panel against setting up another expert group on poverty

After facing flak for the Rs 32 per-capita-per-day poverty line fixation in urban areas, the Plan panel is against setting up another expert group to define poverty as it thinks this will not help in dealing with the controversy. “There was an issue that whether we (Plan panel) should appoint another committee after (adopting) Tendulkar (panel report) to look into the poverty issue. The general opinion was ‘No’,” Planning Commission Member Abhijit Sen said after the meeting of members with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The proposal to set up another expert group came up for discussion at the meeting called by Singh.

[caption id=“attachment_139731” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The planning comission had faced flak for setting the poverty limit at Rs32 per day. Reuters.”]  [/caption]

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During the meet, it was generally felt that another expert group on poverty will not defuse the situation which arose after the Commission in its affidavit to the Supreme Court said that persons spending more than Rs 32 per day were not poor.

The meeting was called by Singh on the request of Planning Minister Ashwani Kumar who wanted clarification on poverty line as he would have to field the questions on the issue in Parliament, which is in session.

“Minister of State was of the view that setting up another committee after Tendulkar panel on poverty is one of the ways of defusing the situation. If there will be any committee….(it) gives any (poverty line) number..there will be an issue,” Sen said.

However, he added that no decision was taken at the meeting regarding the poverty line issue and there was no directive from the Prime Minister on this.

PTI