POVERTY IN INDIA: MEASUREMENT, TRENDS AND OTHER POLICY ISSUES

Abstract

Eradication of poverty is an important objective of economic policy. Therefore, measurement of poverty has to be sound as it has significant policy implications. This paper presents the methodology followed by the Expert Group (Rangarajan) and explains some of the issues that were raised after the publication of the Report. Apart from the methodology, some of the issues discussed in the paper are: use of calories, multi-dimensional poverty, urban poverty, NAS (National Accounts Statistics)-NSS (National Sample Survey) consumption differences, poverty measures in other countries, public expenditure and poverty, NSS and SECC (socio-economic caste census), headcount and depth of poverty, inequality and poverty and, criteria for eligibility under programmes.