Saturday, July 27, 2013

Who is poor?

Project "Garibi Hatao" was undertaken in late sixties and early seventies with gusto. So, we may be excused if we suppose that there is no poverty in India now. Disappointingly, the Planning Commission keeps reminding us that there are still some poor people in India though their numbers are rapidly shrinking.

Consumption expenditure per capita of Rs.34 per day is enough to upgrade a city-dweller from poverty. When one can have a full meal for Re.1 near Jamma Masjid in Delhi, what and where is the problem? Why don't we lower the poverty bar to Re.1?

It is sad to hear Kapil Sibal and Digvijay Singh question Planning Commission's scholarly figures. How can they forget that our economist-PM is the Chairperson of the Planning Commission?

For now, Mr.Singh is maintaining his typical majestic silence. If the criticism against Planning Commission's 'erudite' figures becomes more shrill, we may expect him to reiterate his disassociation from the Commission of which he is only the chairperson. If he can so easily estrange himself from his own Cabinet, why not from the Commission? Keep it up, Mr.Prime Minister. As  the CNN IBN Hindu polls show, we continue to be in awe of you.

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