Poverty Underestimation in Rural India- A Critique

Abstract

When ever the Planning Commission of India releases the poverty data, that data is being criticised by experts and economists. The main criticism is underestimation of poverty especially in rural India by the Planning Commission. This paper focuses on that criticism and compares the Indian Planning Commission’s 2004-05 rural poverty data with the India’s 2400 kcal poverty norms, World Bank’s US $1.08 poverty concept and Asian Development Bank’s US$1.35 poverty concept.Poverty, Rural India, Underestimation, Poverty Line, Dollar-a-day Poverty Concept, Asian Poverty Line