Experts welcome decision to set up expert body on poverty

Welcoming the government decision to set up an expert committee to look into poverty estimates, former Union Minister and noted economist YK Alagh said the new definition should take into account aspirations of the people.

"New poverty line must talk about aspirations of people. Today, for the first time they (the government) has given up Tendulkar committee's poverty line. I congratulate both the Planning Commission and the Rural Development Ministry," Alagh said.

The government, he hoped, would soon develop new concepts keeping in view the requirements of 'Aam Admi'.

Some members of Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council (NAC) also welcomed the government's announcement to set up a committee.

Sources close to Aruna Roy, an NAC member, said, "We are happy that the government has given up the Tendulkar poverty line. That is a positive development."

Another NAC member Harsh Mander said, "I welcome the assurance that in future, BPL poverty line criteria will be delinked while providing welfare schemes and government incentives".

He, however, added that there should be proper acceptance on adequate requirement of poor people.

Meanwhile, NAC member NC Saxena said the government had taken no any new policy decision.

"Montek Singh issued his clarification today. No new policy decision was taken," he said.