Poverty
Poverty in India is defined based on the poverty line (PL), which is a monetary measure reflecting the minimum household expenditure needed to cover essential food and non-food items.
Poverty Line Criteria
Lakdawala Committee:
Set the PL based on calorie norms of 2,400 kcal per day for rural areas and 2,100 kcal for urban areas.
Tendulkar Committee:
Did not use calorie norms but focused on general expenditure levels.
Rangarajan Committee:
Based the PL on a broad range of needs including nourishment, clothing, housing, and education.
Calorie Requirements
The average daily per capita calorie requirement (PCCR) for a healthy life is estimated to be 2,172 kcal in rural areas and 2,135 kcal in urban areas
Expenditure Thresholds
Rural India: The total monthly per capita expenditure (MPCE) threshold for maintaining basic nourishment and minimal non-food needs is ₹2,197.
Urban India: The total MPCE threshold is ₹3,077.
Including non-food expenses for the poorest 10% raises these thresholds and increases the proportion of the poor to 23.2% in rural areas and 19.4% in urban areas.
Nutritional Deficiency
Rural Poor: The poorest 5% consume only 1,564 kcal per day, well below the required 2,172 kcal.
Urban Poor: The poorest 5% consume 1,607 kcal per day, also below the necessary 2,135 kcal.
Nutritional deficiencies highlight the need for targeted welfare programs to improve health and nourishment among the poorest.
Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES)
The survey gathered information on the quantities and total values of various food and non-food items consumed by households.
The report converts the quantities of food consumed into their total caloric value.
It compares the estimated daily calorie intake of individuals in lower expenditure groups with the average daily calorie requirement needed for a healthy life.
The analysis aims to assess whether the calorie intake of poorer households meets the nutritional needs for a healthy lifestyle.
Who publish it?
The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) released report based on the HCES for 2022-23, including public access to unit-level data
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