BHUBANESWAR: Even as State Government is not sure about the methodology to be adopted for poverty estimation, the Centre has assured that it will consult all the states, experts and civil society organisations to have a consensus on the issue. The present statewise poverty estimates using the Planning Commission methodology will not be used to impose any ceiling on the number of households to be included in Government programmes and schemes, a joint statement by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahaluwalia said. The Centre will take into account multiple dimensions of deprivation based on the indicators being collected through the socio economic caste census (SECC) for arriving at specific entitlements for rural households under various Central Government programmes, the statement said. The eligibility and entitlements of rural households for Central Government schemes will be determined after analysing the data collected under SECC survey which is underway, they said. The methodology for poverty estimation will ensure that no poor household will be excluded from the welfare programmes of the Government, the statement said. An expert committee will be appointed to ensure that the methodology adopted is consistent with the provision of the proposed Food Security Bill, they said. The Rural Development Ministry is assisting the Plan panel in its nation-wide survey of rural households to collect information on a number of soci-economic indicators to determine the poverty level. The process is likely to be completed by January. The joint clarification came in the wake of controversial remarks by the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission that a daily income of Rs 32 in urban area and Rs 26 in rural area is comfortable for a living. Ahaluwalia drew a flak from a cross section of society for drawing the poverty level when prices of all essential commodities are sky high.
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