Poverty politics: Joshi slams Plan panel, Montek
October 04, 2011 12:12
Criticising Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia for the Rs 32 per capita per day urban poverty line definition, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manmohan Joshi has claimed that the government was "trying to save its honour'.
"The Planning Commission is totally confused without any understanding of the problem. Neither are they aware of the poverty in the country nor do they know anything about price rise. As far as my understanding goes, according to the millennium goals of development till 2015, all the developing countries have to lessen their poverty line by 50 per cent. Since the government has to decrease the poverty line by 50 per cent, they are working on such exercises," Joshi told media personnel.
The commission's affidavit in the apex court, claiming that per capita expenditure of Rs 32 in urban areas and Rs 25 in rural areas was enough to sustain a person, has sparked a furious row across India.
"The Planning Commission is totally confused without any understanding of the problem. Neither are they aware of the poverty in the country nor do they know anything about price rise. As far as my understanding goes, according to the millennium goals of development till 2015, all the developing countries have to lessen their poverty line by 50 per cent. Since the government has to decrease the poverty line by 50 per cent, they are working on such exercises," Joshi told media personnel.
The commission's affidavit in the apex court, claiming that per capita expenditure of Rs 32 in urban areas and Rs 25 in rural areas was enough to sustain a person, has sparked a furious row across India.
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