Lucknow: Expressing concern over the Centre's
proposed norms for assessment of poverty line, Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday asked Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh to reconsider the same and increase the limit.
"It is almost impossible for a poor person to meet the
ends for a meagre amount of Rs 32 per day in urban area and Rs
26 per day in rural area," Mayawati said in a letter written
to the Prime Minister.
"This limit should be raised," she demanded.
The Chief Minister said fixing poverty line was always a
challenging and difficult process, but its aim should not be
of painting an artificial picture.
To separate poor from prosperous, several changes have
been made in domestic commodities and services related to
poverty line by the Tendulkar Committee, she said.
"It seems that norm of 2,100 calories per person per day
in urban area and 2,499 calories per day per person in rural
areas has been reduced considerably, though new assessment
like health, education and footwear have been included,"
Mayawati said.
By hiding expenses on edible items a large section of
poor in the country would be affected which would be unjust
and unfair, she said.
The CM said the proposed norm would directly affect the
poor and weaker sections and they would be deprived from
various programmes of the state which aim towards poverty
alleviation and improving their socio-economic condition.
PTI
First Published: Monday, October 03, 2011, 20:04